Bears Ears, a 1.35-million-acre rugged redrock landscape rich in Native American history and lore, was declared a national monument Wednesday by President Obama, whose action via the Antiquities Act quickly infuriated Utah's politicians. The wide swath of land covered by the designation includes much of land long desired by conservationists to provide the "completion" of Canyonlands National Park.

In its rush Thursday to take the rest of the summer off, Congress left behind a pile of unfinished work, some of which reaches into the National Park System. There's the Interior appropriations bill, which would roll back some environmental protections, and a controversial Public Lands Initiative for Utah that quickly drew fire. And then there's the draft platform for the Republican Convention, which holds freight aimed at fleecing federal lands and tying presidents' hands.

Spend any time deep in the heart of Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah and you'll know the park has some of the darkest night skies you've seen. Now the International Dark-Sky Association has made that fact official by recognizing the park for its dark night skies.

Often overlooked by visitors seeking memorable experiences at Utah's iconic "Mighty Five" national parks (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capital Reef, and Zion), the lesser-known Natural Bridges National Monument showcases three stunning natural bridges: Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo.