Mount Rainier National Park by Rip Rippey (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

Lake Clark National Park by National Park Service.

Paria Canyon Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and Wilderness by Bob Wick, BLM.

Why We ❤️ Public Lands

America’s public lands give us so much – from epic views that leave you breathless to new adventures and a lifetime of memories. Now it’s your turn to give something in return. Thank a park for all they give us by volunteering this Saturday for National Public Lands Day. Plus, All public lands – from national parks to wildlife refuges and more – are FREE this Saturday in honor of National Public Lands Day.

To inspire you to get out there and give back, check out some of our favorite things about America’s public lands: http://on.doi.gov/2cTEbk6

Get excited for Sea Otter Awareness Week with this adorable photo of a snoozing sea otter in Kenai Fjords National Park. These cute mammals are found in the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean, including areas around several national parks in Alaska. Their dense coat of luxuriously soft fur helps keep them warm in cold waters, where they can dive up to 250 feet in search of food like clams, crabs and sea urchins. For more sea otter facts, check out http://on.doi.gov/2d10YvZ. Photo by National Park Service.

Beyond its spectacular natural beauty, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah offers 1.9 million acres of cliffs, terraces, trails and views for your needed nature fix. Established 20 years ago today, the monument is an adventurer’s dream and a fantastic scientific resource for geologists, paleontologists, archaeologists and biologists. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management (@mypubliclands).

It’s that time of year in Alaska when the gorgeous fall colors come out at Serpentine Hot Springs in Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Gone are the shockingly bright pinks, yellows and purples of summer, replaced by deeper and darker reds, yellows, greens and the beginnings of brown, all of equal vibrancy and beauty. 🍃🍁🍂 Enjoy the change of seasons wherever you may be! Photo by Katie Cullen, National Park Service.

Imagine how small you might feel in the presence of a huge iceberg like this chunk from the McBride Glacier. At Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve – one of the 24 national park sites in Alaska – you can explore the Alaskan wilderness from sea to summit. True to its name, much of the park is water, meaning kayaks and boats are the main ways to see rugged mountains, dynamic glaciers and wild coastlines. Photo by Sean Neilson, National Park Service.

This stunning underwater oasis is our nation’s newest national monument. Today President Obama designated Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, which is located more than 100 miles southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. The monument is home to undersea canyons and mountains, making up fragile and largely pristine deep marine ecosystems that provide a haven for rare and native species as well as important scientific research. The area’s rich biodiversity includes deep sea corals – some of which are found nowhere else on Earth – and endangered whales and sea turtles. Thanks to today’s action, New England’s unique seamounts will be protected for future generations. Photos by NOAA.

In this rare sight, a rainbow (we like to call it a “blob-bow”) brightens the dunes following an afternoon storm at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado. Summer thunderstorms at the park are common and bring cool winds, heavy rain and lightning. When storms approach, be sure to come down off the dunes, as lightning often strikes the dunefield. The electrical current fuses or melts sand particles together, resulting in a “fulgurite” (Latin for lightning rock). Photo by Patrick Myers, National Park Service.

The treasure you’ll find at Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia comes in golden sunrise sparkles, glimpses of rare wildlife and 5,618 acres of precious forests, marshes and beaches. Only accessible by boat, the island was used by the Navy as a source of live oak timber for shipbuilding in the early 1800s. Now, the island is a source of joy and solitude for all who visit. Photo by Becky Skiba, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Explore the Oregon Coast at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, which stretches a mile from the shore into the Pacific Ocean. Look for harbor seals year-round and gray whales feeding in shallow waters during summer months. Listen to the applause-like sound as the waves roll in over the rounded rocks of Cobble Beach. When the tide is low, a vibrant ocean floor is revealed – stroll alongside tide pools to see colorful animals like orange sea stars, purple sea urchins and giant green anemones. It’s also home to Oregon’s tallest lighthouse! Photo by Bob Wick, @mypubliclands

It’s been 15 years since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, but the images of that day remain clear. Two planes were flown into the World Trade Center in New York and a third into the Pentagon in Virginia. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives. Because of the actions of 40 passengers and crew aboard the fourth plane, Flight 93, the U.S. Capitol was saved. In New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania and across the country, people will gather today to remember the depth of our loss and the strength of our resolve. By visiting these places and hearing their stories, those who were taken will never be forgotten. Photo from the Flight 93 National Memorial by Tami Heilemann, Interior.