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Look To The Stars Over Great Basin, Theodore Roosevelt, Mount Rainier, And Oregon Caves

With clear skies overhead, and no moon, the star gazing should be outstanding in the coming weeks at western national parks. Several of those parks -- Great Basin, Theodore Roosevelt and Mount Rainier national parks, and Oregon Caves National Monument -- are taking advantage of the night skies with star-gazing festivals.

A Step Back In Time: Charit Creek Lodge Offers Glimpse Into Tennessee's Pioneer Past

I recently received an invitation to sleep in a log cabin. Not something new and swanky, mind you. Instead, my imagination was sparked because this cabin was built in 1817, around the time Davy Crockett was earning his reputation as a frontiersman, storyteller, and politician.

Traveler's View: National Park Service Logos Lack Creativity, Fail To Celebrate "America's Best Idea"

National parks, it's held up, are "America's best idea," but logos chosen for the National Park Service to celebrate its centennial and to use in other venues fail to reflect that belief. Indeed, they ignore the rich heritage and beauty of the National Park System in a curious attempt to "engage and connect with new audiences."

The Unusual Story Behind Death Valley National Park's Popular Zabriskie Point

Death Valley National Park has plenty of colorful place names, including Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells, Last Chance Mountain and Devil's Golf Course, so modern-day visitors might be curious about the one given to a popular scenic overlook in the park: Zabriskie Point. The explanation may be a bit surprising, since the name is tied to an activity not usually associated with national parks, and the story of the overlook itself offers a fascinating glimpse into the park's history.