The Latest News & Views

This is the time for wildflowers in the Appalachians. Where can you see them? Wildflower weekends are being hosted by many parks in the next few weeks. Going with an expert is the best way to learn about wildflowers.

In its biggest political coup to date, a group fighting the backcountry fees charged at Great Smoky Mountains National Park has gotten the backing of the Tennessee State House of Representatives.

Summer is coming in. The days are getting longer, and lake, sea, and river water are getting warmer. This leads to a desire on the part of some national park patrons to take off their clothes and a similar number of fellow taxpayers to complain about nudity, with the hapless park ranger in the middle. This can lead to problems.

A congressman from California is furious over Yosemite National Park's proposed Merced River Plan, saying it calls for changes that would "limit public access and enjoyment of Yosemite."

Wolf numbers in the northern Rocky Mountain states of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and parts of Washington and Oregon at the end of 2012 showed only a slight decrease from a year earlier, though the number of packs increased, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.