It's the stuff of legends, of treasure seekers. Somewhere, not far from land, lies buried treasure in the seabed of Drakes Bay. Within the remains of the 16th century Spanish galleon San Agustin there could be priceless heirlooms, or merely shards of porcelain dishes that the ship was carrying from the Philippines to Mexico. What is known is that the wreck of the San Agustin in 1595 in waters now within Point Reyes National Seashore is the first recorded shipwreck on the West Coast.

How quiet is nature? It can be deafening. The following video segment from an upcoming film about silence drives that point home during a visit to Denali National Park in Alaska.

An interesting shell was found on one of Cape Cod National Seashore's beaches the other day, but it was not your typical seashell. Rather, it was a 14-inch, World War II military shell.

Making sense out of National Park System visitation statistics can be tough due to faulty counters, late opening dates, and storms that close parks. All that considered, though, attendance at the parks seems to be up a bit this year through the first six months.