If you're looking for a national park lodge that isn't on everybody's tongue, you might want to consider one of the following.

Most snowshoes made these days have decking made out of Hypalon, a synthetic rubber fabric. But if you head to Voyageurs National Park in late January, you can be schooled in the art of lacing snowshoes the old-fashioned way, with rawhide.

Across the National Park System there are millions of privately held acres that fall within the boundaries of national parks. Recently, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area was able to acquire one small parcel that otherwise might have been developed. Voyageurs National Park is just one other example where efforts are ongoing to acquire inholdings.