Here’s a moment of zen for you. A view from a sea cave reveals a golden sunrise over the vast waters of Lake Superior at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin. The picturesque shoreline of brown stone and green forest radiates a feeling of peace. Breathe deep, greet the morning and then spend the day exploring this special park. Photo by Michael Dewitt (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
Boundary Reservoir Recreation Area in eastern Washington is the perfect place for an outdoor adventure. Recreation activities include boating, swimming, fishing, picnicking, camping, hiking and nature viewing. You’re going to love soaking in the sun while bobbing on the waves of the calm, blue lake. Photo by Jeff Clark, Bureau of Land Management.
The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona opens today! Closed for snow during the winter, visitors can now enjoy sweeping views of this natural wonder from Point Imperial, Cape Royal and Bright Angel Point. Fewer than 10 percent of visitors come to the North Rim, it invokes a sense of solitude and serenity. This is a place that invites you to slow down, to ponder, to feel your own innate creativity and to fall in love with this amazing landscape. Photo from Cape Royal by Michael Quinn, National Park Service.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! And thanks for all you do to protect your kids like this mama and baby moose at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. While moose are usually solitary, cows have strong bonds with their calves and are extremely protective. Newborn moose (usually born in early summer) have a reddish hue to their fur when born and will stay with their mother for a year. Photo by Athena Burns (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
Accessible only by boat, Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana encompasses over 4,000 acres of the Mississippi River Delta. These wetlands are home to a fascinating array of wildlife, including signature species like the American alligator and bald eagle. Among the outstanding recreation opportunities, we recommend a relaxing float among the cypress trees. Photo by John Corso (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
Traveling north out of Las Vegas, Nevada, it won’t take you long to escape into a colorful desert landscape. The scenery varies from dramatic geological formations to sedate desert dry washes. The views go on for miles, begging to be explored. If you get lucky, you might even see a rare desert rainbow. Photo by Glenn Appell (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
Happy birthday, Glacier National Park! On May 11, 1910, President William Taft signed a bill into law establishing the country’s 10th national park. Montana’s Glacier protects glacier-carved peaks and valleys, pristine turquoise lakes and streams, and dense ancient forests for all to enjoy. Learn more about the Crown of the Continent as we celebrate this iconic national park: https://on.doi.gov/glacier.
Photo by Shan Lin (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
The rocky terrain of Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma is an oasis of natural grassland among developed farms. Almost 60,000 acres are now home to reintroduced species including bison, elk, prairie dogs, river otters and burrowing owls. Visitors can enjoy wildlife watching, fishing, climbing, hunting and walking among wildflower blooms. Photo by Daniel Suh (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
Photographer Erik Fremsted loves capturing sunrise at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge near Minneapolis. “The fog begins to burn and glow while the clouds dance in the sky. I breathe in the scene for as long as possible while the unofficial state bird, the mosquito, eats me alive. A price I am very willing to pay to witness mornings like this.” Photo by Erik Fremsted (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).
Sig Nordal 