Established in a high valley tucked into the Allegheny Mountains, Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge in West Virginia preserves almost 17,000 acres of forest and wetlands. The Blackwater River meanders through this rugged and gorgeous landscape, supporting an impressive variety of wildlife. The refuge is a great place for fishing, hiking and, as you can see, photography. Photo by Frank Ceravalo, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Happy 100th birthday to Lassen Volcanic National Park! Underneath this California park’s serene surface lies magma, which creates volcanoes and hydrothermal features like boiling pools, gurgling mudpots and steaming ground. Lassen Volcanic is one of the only places in the world where you can see all four types of volcanoes – you can even hike each type! Sunset photo courtesy of Beth Young.

Stretching from the Maine coast to inland forests and dotted with lakes and marshes, Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge welcomes 300,000 nature enthusiasts a year. Exploring miles of trails from dawn to dusk, visitors can observe wildlife and take in the beauty of nature all while honoring the memory of world-renowned marine biologist, author and environmentalist Rachel Carson. Photo by Judy Grabowicz (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

A vibrant sunset over a carpet of wildflowers at Pine Forest Range Wilderness in northern Nevada. The area is an island in the sky rising almost 6,000 feet above the desert floor to rocky peaks that top out at around 10,000 feet. The range has been glaciated, and has several cirque lakes which are very uncommon in the Great Basin. It makes for some exceptional views, doesn’t it? Photo by Bob Wick, @mypubliclands.

The first sun rays at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah cast light and shade over a stone forest of amazing rock formations. Photographer Daniel Madrigal was at the park to shoot this inspiring scene. “The shadow, texture and color explosion that is Bryce is absolutely stunning. The light changes by the minute. One could spend a lifetime there and never capture the same thing twice.” Photo courtesy of Daniel Madrigal.

This little mountain goat is ready for the weekend. Found on western public lands like Glacier National Park in Montana, mountain goats thrill visitors with their acrobatic feats. Often seen on steep, rocky slopes, they easily balance on rocks and scramble down cliffs in search of tasty grasses, mosses and lichens. Photo courtesy of Steve Muller.

Oceans cover over 70 percent of our planet’s surface and contain 99 percent of the living space on earth, making them hotspots of biodiversity. The National Park of American Samoa – a remote park located on four volcanic islands in the South Pacific Ocean – protects coral reefs, rainforest and a strong Samoan cultural component. Coral reef studies at the park are helping scientists understand how warming waters are affecting these and other reef systems. Photo by National Park Service.

Are you struggling in the summer heat? Let’s flashback to December and take a mental stroll through the ice caves at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin. Accessible by foot when Lake Superior freezes over – which doesn’t happen every year – the caves are like a palace decorated with hanging blue ice formations. It’s a very cool experience. Photo by Wan Shi (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

Acadia National Park in Maine is known for its sunrises. The park is one of the first places to see the sunrise in the U.S., but its sunsets are also stunning! Photographer James Kaiser captured this magical view from the top of Cadillac Mountain after a rainy day: “Even when things seem gloomy, conditions can quickly change. It’s one of nature’s most important lessons, and national parks help us appreciate it firsthand.” Photo courtesy of James Kaiser.

From the bottom of the deepest glacial fjord to the summit of its highest peak, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve in Alaska encompasses some of our continent’s most amazing scenery and wilderness. Photographer David Canales explored this incredible park on a two-week kayak expedition. One day, he decided to hike up the east side of Lamplugh Glacier and captured this terrific view. Photo courtesy of David Canales.