Mountain goats are spectacular animals, even iconic in places such as Glacier National Park, but they can cause problems in parks where they don't belong. At Olympic National Park, where a 1920s era introduction project brought non-native goats into the landscape, officials are embarking on a management plan for how to deal with the animals. Adding weight to the need for such a plan was the fatal goring of a hiker in the park four years ago.

Opposites do attract...the viewer's eye. Rebecca Latson offers up a few more handy techniques for you to try out during your next visit to a national park.

How much federal land is too much? When it comes to the state level, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas believes 50.5 percent is too much. While he recently failed to force the federal government to reduce the size of its holdings, the Republican and other anti-government politicians bear watching, particularly with the coming fall elections.

Once considered largely to be worthless, national parks today are economic engines that generate $26.5 billion for the nation's economy.