This heron at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware has the right idea. It’s always nice to find a good perch and enjoy the peaceful beauty of a fall sunset. As urban development increases along the Atlantic Flyway, protected lands for migratory birds becomes even more important. With more than 16,000 acres of forests, fields and wetlands, the birds can find a place to relax; and maybe you will, too. Photo by Tim Williams, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The winter view of Longs Peak from the Dream Lake Trail at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is an epic sight. The wind kicks up a flurry of snow, sweeping the massive mountain and sending a chill we can feel through the screen. Does this make you want to put on your boots or slide under a blanket? Photo by Brandon Selinsky (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

Denali National Park in Alaska is six million acres of wild land, bisected by one ribbon of road. Travelers along the road see the relatively low-elevation taiga forest give way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America’s tallest peak. Called The Mountain by locals, Denali stands 20,310 feet tall. Photo by National Park Service.