The vast, wild landscape of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area offers visitors unparalleled opportunities to immerse themselves in the natural world, and experience the wonders of this extraordinary place. With over 120,000 acres in Montana and Wyoming, one can find an astounding diversity in ecosystems, animals and more. It’s also an amazing place to greet the new day. Photo courtesy of Aaron Selig.

Highly intelligent and resourceful, raccoons are one of the most widespread mammals in North America. They have adapted to live in forests, mountain areas, coastal marshes and even urban centers. In Native American legends, they are known as tricksters and mischief-makers. Their characteristic masks and dexterous paws make them seem cute and approachable, but never forget that they are wild animals. Photo by Gary Miller, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is a small piece of land in the Indian River Lagoon on the Atlantic coast of Florida. It may look tiny, but it has a very large international footprint. The 5400+ acres of land and water (mostly water) represent the world’s first wildlife refuge. Established on this day in 1903, the refuge continues to protect beautiful birds like this glossy ibis. Learn more about the history of the national wildlife refuge system: https://on.doi.gov/refuges2017. Photo by Keenan Adams, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.