In the early 1800s, following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, a host of scouts, soldiers, trappers and traders began venturing from St. Louis, eager to explore and exploit the natural riches to be found in the wilderness of the West. It was America’s new economic frontier. The expansion of the fur trade would introduce new cultures and trading partners to farsighted business entrepreneurs.

Looking for something to do in the National Park System in November and December? Check out this listing of activities, from Andersonville National Historic Site to Yoemite National Park.

Anyone planning to attend the Fur Trade Encampment at Bent's Old Fort National Historicl Site this coming weekend can look for something else to do. The encampment has fallen victim to the ongoing government shutdown.

Digging into the past is under way near Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, where archaeologists are sampling the area for artifacts dating to the mid-1800s when the fort was a military outpost.