Although there are nationally significant resources along a 50-mile stretch of the Ocmulgee River in Georgia to protect through its addition to the National Park System, the National Park Service concluded that the area poses land-acquisition challenges and could be better managed by others.

Culling of the elk herd at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming begins Saturday and runs through December 10.

A wildfire in the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia prompted a closure Wednesday of 20 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway due to smoky conditions and to allow firefighters to stage equipment for fighting the fire.

An adult mule deer found dead in Yellowstone National Park has tested positive for chronic wasting disease, a contagious, fatal disease of deer, elk and moose.