Within sight of New York City skyscrapers, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is an 18,000-acre wetland estuary surrounded by the Rockaway Peninsula to the south, Brooklyn to the west, and Queens to the east. An area almost equal to the size of Manhattan, the bay consists of numerous islands, a labyrinth of waterways, meadowlands and two freshwater ponds. The refuge provides an accessible and unique environment for both wildlife and urban recreation. Photo by Micael Fano (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

Happy first day of summer from Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Photo by Manish Mamtani (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl). 🌻🌷🌼

Today we’re celebrating our national bird, the bald eagle, for American Eagle Day. On June 20, 1782, the bald eagle was placed at the center of the Great Seal of the United States and remains a symbol of our proud country. After a dramatic recovery, bald eagles are found in every state but Hawaii, soaring high and inspiring the nation. Photo from the Gulkana Wild and Scenic River in Alaska by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management (@mypubliclands).

Sometimes you just need to get away. Here’s a brilliant sunrise from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Photo courtesy of Chris Militzer.

Happy Father’s Day! There’s nothing better than sharing a special moment with dad on your public lands. Rick Scalf and his dad were photographing sunrise at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado when a rainbow started to appear. “We began shooting the scene in true amazement as this complete rainbow unfolded before our eyes.” Photo by Rick Scalf (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

The natural beauty of public lands can stop you in your tracks. When you see the amazing landscapes and stunning sunsets at Badlands National Park in South Dakota, you’ll remember it for the rest of your life. Photo by Donna Schneider (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

It’s World Sea Turtle Day – a perfect chance to share this video of a baby sea turtle release. This release of Kemp’s ridley hatchings from Padre Island National Seashore in Texas is just one example of how the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are aiding the recovery of these magnificent animals. Sea turtles can live for decades and swim thousands of miles in their lifetimes. Kemp’s ridley are small, but leatherback turtles can weigh in at over 1,000 pounds. Video by National Park Service.

Over millions of years, wind and rain have eroded sediments from the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas, exposing the limestone of an ancient reef. Embedded in the stone just below the state’s highest peak, fossils records give evidence of Earth’s largest extinction. That’s just one chapter of this amazing landscape’s history, which also includes 10,000 years of human history from bloody conflicts between Mescalero Apaches and Buffalo Soldiers, the coming of ranchers and settlers, and finally, the making of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Photo by Brandon Cozart (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

It’s Flag Day! One of the best stories about Old Glory is from Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Maryland. During the 1814 Battle of Baltimore, a massive flag measuring 30 feet high and 42 feet long flew over the fort. After a night of British bombardment, Francis Scott Key saw the flag still waving above the fort and was inspired to write the words for the “Star Spangled Banner.” It remains a moving sight to this day. Photo of a Blue Angels demonstration over Fort McHenry by Trent Pitsenbarger (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska is a true wilderness filled with mountains, glaciers, historic sites, and several living cultures. A trip here can be quite different from a park in the lower 48. Flexibility and patience are required – visitor services are limited, access can be challenging, weather varies widely – but the reward is worth the effort! Photo courtesy of Jacob W. Frank, National Park Service.