The Columbus Day weekend is about to begin, and that means that thousands of boaters will soon gather at Biscayne National Park for a boisterous party-on-the-water.

The illegal killing of two black bears in late August in North Cascades National Park has promoted the posting of a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. The reward is being offered by The Humane Society of the United States and The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust.

Not only did September's visitation count in Yellowstone National Park set a record, but it also pushed the park's year-to-date visitation to a record high, according to park officials.

Like most desert locales, Lake Mead National Recreation Area south of Las Vegas doesn't receive a lot of rain, and there's no question the area is in the midst of a serious drought, but when rain does fall, it can sometimes be too much of a good thing. A flash flood on Monday afternoon caused nearly $1 million of damage at Callville Bay, and that area and the Callville Bay Access Road have been temporarily closed to all park visitors while clean-up and repairs are underway.