Yellowstone National Park

It was big, potentially bad, and fell at the right time -- sometime in the night when there was no snowmobile or snowcoach traffic coming into Yellowstone National Park from the West Entrance.

Not all stories have to have a hard edge to them to be considered nicely done. What follows are some stories from, or revolving around, the National Park System that we liked for what they had to say, or how they had to say it, or what we learned from them. We hope you enjoyed them, too.

We managed to get out on some national park trails during 2011 -- not as many as we'd like, but still a few that brought smiles to our faces. Here's a look back at those trails.

The past year took me across the National Park System, from Cape Lookout National Seashore on the North Carolina coast to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska. The stories that spooled out from these trips into the National Park System told of advocacy and nurturing, of history and recreation, and even of controversy. Here's a look back.

The gates will open Thursday for winter traffic at Yellowstone National Park, but it's likely a key ingredient will be in short supply: snow.

Proponents of motorized and non-motorized recreation on public lands in the West will collaborate on a study to measure their combined economic impact, the Western Governor's Association has announced.

While many head to Yellowstone National Park in winter to explore by snowmobile, many visitors also like to get out on foot -- either with snowshoes or cross-country skis -- to move about the park. Here's the rundown on how to safely enjoy those activities in the park this winter.

A year's worth of family vacations to national parks led to the following list of top family adventures in the national parks.

Humans are creatures of comfort, so perhaps it should not be a surprise that warming temperatures associated with climate change are altering the seasons slightly when it comes to visiting national parks, according to a study.

Snow conditions willing, Yellowstone National Park will open for the winter season a week from today.

Why are national parks so dang controversial?

National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis is determined to rid plastic bottles from the national parks, but wants to consider all factors before doing so, the agency's communications chief said today while addressing the uproar over the director's decision to put a hold on a water bottle ban at Grand Canyon National Park.

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings, concerned that the Endangered Species Act is wasting more money on lawsuits than recovering species, has scheduled a full committee hearing on the act for next week.

There is a false sense of security in the National Park System surrounding officially designated wilderness. And political actions, or, rather, inaction, demonstrates why there should be concern for the long-term fate of lands with wilderness qualities.

Just because winter is on its way and the weather is turning gray and colder, that doesn't mean there aren't great places to enjoy in the National Park System. Here are some random suggestions.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in finding that grizzly bears in the Yellowstone ecosystem should remain a threatened species, has ruled that federal wildlife biologists were wrong when they concluded the decline of whitebark pine trees was not detrimental to the bears' future.

Visit the national parks next summer, because who knows what shape they'll be in in 2013. That was the message Monday evening from National Parks Conservation Association officials in reaction to the failure by Congress' supercommittee to craft a deficit reduction plan.

Yellowstone National Park officials are reviewing a proposal that could increase more overnight lodging in the Old Faithful area, although it would require that a 77-room dormitory be built there.

Hiding a Yellowstone National Park bison under the Christmas tree or in a year-end gift box isn't exactly easy, but it can be done through the Yellowstone Park Foundation. Kind of.

A report created to track the "vital signs" of natural, cultural, and historic resources in Yellowstone National Park points to a number of concerns pertaining to the park's climate, wildlife resources, and air quality.

America is abundantly rich in the "natural assets" found within the National Park System, but inadequate funding by Congress is threatening the core health of that system, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.

More than 175,000 folks visited Yellowstone National Park in October, which was a good number, but not quite record-setting.

The final "entrance-fee-free" weekend of the year is coming to the National Park System this weekend, giving you another excuse (if you need one) to get out and visit a park.

Carter Niemeyer has had a hand in killing more American wolves in the Lower 48 states than any wildlife manager in modern history. In the following interview, he discusses his book, "Wolfer," and offers his thoughts on the current state of wolves and wolf management in the Rocky Mountains.

Icebreaker's GT 200 base layers offer you a durable, and comfortable, merino wool "second skin" well-suited to backcountry travel, whether for a day or a week.

A plan to redesign traffic flows into Yellowstone National Park through its North Entrance has been given the green light by regional officials, although a firm timetable for the work to proceed is somewhat open-ended at this time.

While there are still two months left to 2011, it's not too early to think about making a tax-deductible contribution to your favorite national park-related organization.