It was a (hopefully not) one of those once-in-a-lifetime visits to a far off national park, and I was flat on my back. That, however, was not all bad at Virgin Islands National Park on the Caribbean island of St. John, where basking under the February sun on the sugar-sand beaches in between snorkeling adventures is de rigueur. Preferably with a cool drink in hand and a rattan mat beneath you.

Heads will be tilted back and eyes gazing overhead on November 23 at Joshua Tree National Park when the park, in partnership with Celestron Telescopes, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, American Park Network, and the Joshua Tree National Park Association, hosts an astronomy event.

How much is the closure of the National Park System costing the country in daily economic stimulus? According to figures calculated by Climate Progress, right around $76 million.

A plan to pump groundwater from beneath the desert and send it to thirsty cities in southern California has attracted a rather unusual group of opponents, including a Republican Congressman, a Democratic Senator, conservation groups, a mining company, a labor union and ranchers. Now the latest wrinkle in the debate involves a proposal for steam train excursion trips into the Mohave Desert.