Clingmans Dome Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is back in business. The popular road, which normally opens April but was being repaved this year, reopened Monday at noon.

In response to the concerns of local businesses, Zion National Park officials have rearranged the road closure schedule for work on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway on the eastern side of the park.

You don't need to be a long-distance hiker to tackle what arguably is not just the shortest but also the most impressive hike at Arches National Park. A comfortable pair of shoes, a bottle of water, and perhaps 90 minutes of your time will be enough to explore the Windows Section of the park.

How's your national park being managed? It's a good question, one that at times can be hard to find answers to. At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, though, managers have distributed a 20-page publication for those interested in what was accomplished in 2009 and what continuing issues are being confronted.