Cool down in the summer heat or soak your tired muscles at these twelve gorgeous swimming holes in the US National Parks and National Forests.

Spotlights, Courtney Johnson

Use these apps to explore the national parks, forests, and other public lands!

Winter is an opportune time for national parks adventures. Fewer visitors mean less traffic jams, quicker entry to the parks, and plenty of parking at trailheads and pullouts. Find 32 great ways to explore national parks in winter with this guide.

Spotlights, Courtney Johnson

The International Dark-Sky Association was created in 1988 to help minimize light pollution and to protect the night skies. There are 103 Dark-Sky sites worldwide, including Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, Staunton River State Park in Virginia, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in Texas. The two entities often work alongside each other to preserve what natural night sky still exists. For example, Bob Meadows, a physical scientist and night skies specialist in the NPS Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division took his expertise and equipment to Goblin Valley State Park to help with the park's Dark-Sky designation—at Goblin Valley, one is under one of the darkest skies in the world.

Costing anywhere from $5-$25, depending on location, the U.S. Forest Service Christmas Tree permit program allows you to cut your own tree from a national forest.