On this day in 1781, British forces under General Charles Lord Cornwallis marched across the Yorktown Battlefield in Virginia to surrender to General George Washington, effectively ending the Revolutionary War. More than five years after the Declaration of Independence was signed, Washington’s army finally achieved the decisive victory that would guarantee our nation’s future. Visit the now peaceful battlefield to learn more about this dramatic moment in our history. Photo at Colonial National Historical Park – Yorktown Battlefield by James Gramm (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

October’s falling temperatures trigger the annual migration of millions of monarch butterflies across the continent. Every fall, these lovely butterflies fly thousands of miles from as far north as Canada to overwinter in California and Mexico. When swarms of monarchs pause en route to rest and feed on nectar-bearing plants, admirers will see them blanket trees and shrubs in orange and black. Photo of a monarch butterfly chandelier in California by Joanna Gilkeson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Fall colors are popping up at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge. This eastern Maine wildlife refuge is the perfect place to take in autumn’s bright reds, oranges and yellows. Where is your favorite place for fall colors? Photos by Keith Ramos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.