A decision Thursday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to deny wolverines protection under the Endangered Species Act prompted a coalition of groups to announce plans to sue the agency of that decision.

Nothing beats a day spent hiking a trail through the spectacular subalpine meadows of Mount Rainier National Park – except maybe combining that hike with the opportunity to contribute to important research by volunteering as a citizen scientist. That’s how a small group of donors and Board members from Washington’s National Park Fund spent a recent Saturday, hiking from Paradise down to Reflection Lakes with Mount Rainier’s aquatic ecologist, Rebecca Lofgren and collecting data on streamflow along the way.

National parks in one state are subject to wildfire smoke wafting in from other states on fire. This smelly, thick haze affects more than just one's ability to view the scenery. It also impacts human health along with the health of wildlife and plant life. But how? After a recent trip into Mount Rainier National Park, where smoke from wildfires in California and Oregon hid much of the landscape, turned the sky and atmosphere a dirty yellow, and smelled strongly of burning wood, photographer Rebecca Latson tried to find some answers to her questions.

If you enjoy photographing sunrises, sunsets, and/or the stars in a national park, the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park is definitely a must-see-and-photograph location you should place on your bucket list. You might or might not encounter long waits and large crowds, but it’s a good idea to prepare for the possibility, and bring along a mask or two for your safety as well as the safety of others on the trail.