A little over an hour-and-a-half drive from Bryce Canyon National Park is Cedar Breaks National Monument. "Crowning the grand staircase, Cedar Breaks sits at over 10,000 feet and looks down into a half-mile deep geologic amphitheater. Come wander among timeless bristlecone pines, stand in lush meadows of wildflower, ponder crystal-clear night skies and experience the richness of subalpine forest."

It's not all just about "The Mountain." There is so much high- and low-elevation landscape beauty to view in Mount Rainier National Park. Winter adds a nice pristine touch to the landscape and the Paradise area is the perfect place to snowshoe and ski while soaking up that stunning panorama.

"Mitchell Pass is a gap between Scotts Bluff and South Bluff. In 1850, a wagon road was built through what was then called "Devil's Gap", and it became the primary route for emigrants (pioneers heading west), soldiers, Pony Express riders and the Transcontinental telegraph. Prior to 1851, emigrants would have used Robidoux Pass to bypass Scotts Bluff."

Visitors can walk up to and look inside two of the park's smallest volcanoes; the Spatter Cones.

"Castle Geyser has a unique, large, tall geyserite cone structure that may be reminiscent of a castle. This large structure is possibly due to trees growing in the area years prior that became coated in sinter and allowed the height to build up. Layers of geyserite cascade in step-like terraces from the geyser vent and continues to cover the surrounding area. Due to this amount of fragile sinter and the height of the cone, the water is inaccessible for scientific measurements. The western side of Castle Geyser appears smoother than the sinter steps on the east side.

"Paddle through a fantastic cypress slough on the Cooks Lake to Scatterman Loop in Big Thicket National Preserve. This national preserve protects the incredible diversity of life found where multiple habitats meet in southeast Texas. Hiking trails and waterways meander through nine different ecosystems, from longleaf pine forests to cypress-lined bayous. It is a place of discovery, a place to wander and explore, a place to marvel at the richness of nature."

At Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, "an interpretive garden was planted in 1974 to the north of the fort reconstruction. Although its location and size are not historic, it is in the general location of the historic garden and planted with historically-appropriate species. The garden helps to convey the general agricultural character of the site during the HBC era. The traditional English-style garden has geometric plant beds arranged symmetrically along a central walkway.

"Step back in time, four to three million years ago! During the Pliocene, this place looked quite different. Lush wetlands, forests, and grasslands provided excellent habitat for a variety of animals. From fascinating, now-extinct creatures like the saber-toothed cat, mastodon, and ground sloth, to more familiar animals like horses, beavers, and birds, the scientific study of Pliocene fossils is the key to Hagerman."

"San Juan Island is well known for its splendid vistas, saltwater shores, quiet woodlands, orca whales and one of the last remaining native prairies in the Puget Sound/Northern Straits region. But it was also here in 1859 that the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over possession of the island, the crisis ignited by the death of a pig."