Why national parks need to be preserved, how they reflect "America at her best," and how parks benefit kids were the themes expressed by the winners of the Traveler's first Take Your Family to the National Parks essay contest.

In his essay in the high school division, R.J. Huber, 17, of Cincinnati, Ohio, cited threats he sees to the National Park System and proposed solutions to counter them.

Hiking in a national park certainly is good for your health, but did you ever wonder whether that meal you purchased in the park was offsetting the benefits of that hike? In a bid to help you judge, the National Park Service is working to determine just how nutritious meals purchased in the parks are.

Across its sprawling system, the National Park Service is noticeably short of adequate museum display space and curatorial facilities. But the agency has a plan to address that.