For National Lighthouse Day, we’re featuring the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina. Protecting mariners in an area known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic,” the lighthouse was built in 1870 and is distinctive for its spiral black and white paint pattern. It remains the tallest brick lighthouse in America and is a favorite subject of visiting photographers. Photo by Stacy Abbott (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

Learn more about the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: http://ift.tt/2byLo89 

Southwest Colorado’s Alpine Loop National Backcountry Byway provides access to some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere in the Rockies. Here, jagged peaks up to 14,000 feet in elevation rise above rushing streams and wildflower-filled meadows. A few miles further West, the American Basin in Handies Peak Wilderness Study Area has a plethora of wildflowers including fields of Colorado’s state flower, the columbine. You can scale 14,000 foot Handies Peak with a long non-technical but demanding day hike. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management, @mypubliclands

Southwest Colorado’s Alpine Loop National Backcountry Byway provides access to some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere in the Rockies. Here, jagged peaks up to 14,000 feet in elevation rise above rushing streams and wildflower-filled meadows. A few miles further West, the American Basin in Handies Peak Wilderness Study Area has a plethora of wildflowers including fields of Colorado’s state flower, the columbine. You can scale 14,000 foot Handies Peak with a long non-technical but demanding day hike. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management, @mypubliclands

In the last four years of the 19th century, over 100,000 prospectors flooded into the Klondike region of Alaska and Canada looking for gold. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park not only tells the stories of these pioneers, it preserves 13,000 acres of historic sites and stunning wilderness. Traveling the trails is like going back in time. Photo by C. Anderson, National Park Service.

An owl family at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Barn owls by USFWS.

A parliament of baby burrowing owls by USFWS.

It’s International Owl Awareness Day, and we’re celebrating these majestic birds with awesome owl photos and facts!

With fluffy feathers, large eyes and dramatic facial expressions, these birds of prey have long been fan favorites. There are 150 species of owls worldwide and 19 that call North America home, providing plenty of opportunities to spot these birds on public lands or in your backyard.

While they may look adorable, owls are fierce hunters. These well-adapted predators are silent hunters with excellent eyesight and hearing, allowing them to soar through the night sky in search of prey. Some scientists estimate that a single owl can eat 2,000 rodents a year.

Be sure to check out more owl photos – they’re a real hoot! https://on.doi.gov/owls

The colors at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon will make you do a doubletake. The yellows, golds, blacks, greens and reds of the Painted Hills are beautiful at all times of the day, but are best lit for photography in the late afternoon. Changing light and moisture levels can drastically affect the tones and hues visible in the hills. It’s easy to become immersed in the views, but please remember to stay on the trails. Photo by Bill Vollmer (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

Vulture Peak’s jagged profile glowing in the sunset light is a dramatic sight rising above the Arizona desert. Walking up the eroded remains of an ancient volcano, hikers are treated to stunning views and curious rock formations along the trail. If you’re thinking of conquering the summit this summer, park in the Bureau of Land Management lot and take plenty of water! Photo by Raymond Lee (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). @mypubliclands

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia has over 500 miles of trails, including 101 miles of the famous Appalachian Trail. Some trails lead to a waterfall or viewpoint; others penetrate deep into the forest and wilderness. With such an abundance of trail options and the famous Skyline Drive, it’s easy to find an adventure to fit your interest and ability. Sunrise photo by N. Lewis, National Park Service.

Loggerhead Key – located almost 70 miles west of Key West, Florida – is the largest island of Dry Tortugas National Park. Covering about 49 acres, it is home to a 160-year-old lighthouse and some truly excellent sites for snorkeling and diving. Along with amazing coral formations, divers can find a variety of colorful reef fish, including parrotfish, angel fish, triggerfish and damselfish. Just remember, look but don’t touch. Not only will an accidental brush up against the coral probably kill it, you may be bumping into any number of potentially dangerous animals, include fire coral, jellyfish, sea urchins or the exotic venomous lionfish. Photo by Bryan Goff (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

Whether you delight in the challenge of a strenuous hike to spectacular views, the thrill of rafting through a twisting canyon, getting up close to famous dinosaur fossils, or sitting quietly and watching the sunset, Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and Utah offers endless opportunities for adventure. The hardest part may be choosing what to do first. Sunset from Wagon Wheel Point courtesy of Louis Kamler.