Roads severed. Walls of rock and mud blocking access. Trails washed out. That is some of the aftermath at Rocky Mountain National Park, where streams and rivers normally feeble at this time of year swelled to spring runoff levels and more after days of torrential rains.

Fee increases, some up to 100 percent, are being proposed at Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota.

In 1928 a highway known as the Tamiami Trail was built across the southern Florida peninsula, and while it was a boon for developers, the dam-like road fill created serious problems for Everglades National Park. A partial solution—replacing some of the road's berm with bridges—got a welcome boost with a recent pledge of $90 million from the State of Florida.

Fall is speeding our way, and for wildlife, that means it's time to pack on the calories. In western national parks such as Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier, that means bears are on the prowl looking for some good meals.