If you mention the terms "weed" and "California" in the same sentence, some people will make an assumption about the subject at hand. NPS areas in the San Francisco area are looking for some volunteer "weed watchers," and the purpose of this project may be different than you expect.

Taking on the 2,650-mile-long Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail is a tough challenge for anyone, and doubly so for a blind hiker. Trevor Thomas, who already has thru-hiked the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, is up to the challenge. In this interview with the Traveler, he explains how he lost his sight and his ambitions as a long-distance hiker.

In the language of conservation biology, there is a term called “the Lazarus Syndrome.” It pertains to a species, written off as extinct, that later is found to exist. Today, ornithologists are debating and hoping that the near-mythical Ivory-billed woodpecker might qualify.

Piping plovers find the beaches along Cape Lookout National Seashore to offer some great nesting opportunities. As a result, seashore officials have placed some areas off-limits during the threatened bird's nesting season, which runs through August.