You want to get out on the water, preferably for a few days at least. Scenery, wildlife, and solitude are on your checklist. Here’s where to go in the National Park System.

The prospect of the Colorado River running dry anytime soon is hard to fathom. But if it ever does, it will have a devastating effect on the economies of the seven states that rely on the river's life-giving waters, according to a study prepared by Arizona State University.

A layer of snow can add a special dimension to the scenery in parks anywhere, but the contrast with colorful rock formations can be especially striking in places like Arches, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon National Parks. That's expected to be the case for start of the New Year in several parks in the high desert, but park officials are asking visitors to use caution—and common sense—on icy roads and trails.

The Western Banded Gecko, or Coleonyx variegatus, is no stranger to beating the heat. Their nocturnal lifestyle is ideal for the sizzling desert climate. You are more likely to encounter them on a night stroll under the stars than in the mid-day sun. Though many confuse the Western Banded Gecko with young Gila monsters, they are much smaller and lack venomous characteristics.