Warm breezes and "chamber of commerce" blue skies make spring an ideal time to get out into the national parks, but in those parks with snow in the mountains visitors have to be aware of both hungry bears coming out of hibernation and the potential for avalanches. Pedaling up that iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park in springtime, before snow is fully removed and vehicles are allowed on it, can be a spectacular experience. Paying attention to your surroundings can ensure it's a safe roundtrip, notes Glacier Superintendent Jeff Mow.

How many of you automatically think about Instagram when you see a square-formatted image? Sure, the square format is the way to go with this popular social media application, but there are other advantages to the square format, beyond Instagram. Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson discusses these advantages and how you can use them with your own national park photography.

Glacier National Park officials are inviting the general public this summer to help the park track and study important species of concern through its citizen science program. The program allows participants to explore the park and learn about important park resources while collecting valuable data for park managers.

What do you think of the National Park Service efforts to extend cellphone coverage in the National Park System. While phone coverage is nice, it also increases the amount of social media activity in the parks, which is not always so nice.