Happy Bat Week! /＼^._.^／\ 

Called creepy, scary and spooky, bats often get a bad rap. These little creatures are an important species that impact our daily lives in ways we might not even realize – from pollinating our favorite fruits to eating pesky insects to inspiring medical marvels. Learn more about bats: http://on.doi.gov/bats

There’s a lot to do at Congaree National Park in South Carolina. Whether you prefer paddling Cedar Creek, roughing it on a backcountry camping trip, fishing in oxbow lake, having a picnic, joining a ranger-led “Owl Prowl” or just taking a short stroll on the boardwalk, the park is ready to welcome you. Photo by National Park Service.

It might be fall, but now is a good time to start planning your summer trip to Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone hosts over 4 million visits a year and more than half of these happen June-August. Arrive early, stay late and if you walk half a mile from your car, you’ll leave the crowds behind (in most cases). And be sure to take the #YellowstonePledge to protect this park for current and future generations. Summer photo of Trout Lake by Jacob W. Frank, National Park Service.