Happy New Year! Here's wishing you many interesting and entertaining trips to units within the National Park System. Leave no trace and recreate responsibly.

"Want to stick close to the lodge but still get some fresh air and exercise? No problem! Ice skating rinks adjacent to Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel are open daily on a weather-dependent basis. For guests, skates are free to rent from the lodge’s front desk. Spend an hour or two circling the rink, then curl up by the fireplace with a steamy cup of coffee or hot chocolate – the perfect way to enjoy a frosty afternoon at Yellowstone!"

Named for its appearance, the Christmas Tree worm is a marine worm that lives on coral reefs. These worms are not very large - maybe a little less than two inches - and come in all sorts of colors. You might even see one while snorkeling the coral reefs of the National Park of American Samoa.

Pancake ice forms in areas of high wave activity, when a thin layer of ice forms over the water and is then broken up into round-ish features with raised edges.

"Towering 800 feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff has served as a landmark for peoples from Native Americans to emigrants on the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails to modern travelers. Rich with geological and paleontological history as well as human history, there is much to discover while exploring the 3,000 acres of Scotts Bluff National Monument."

While mornings may be foggy, the ice-cold winter afternoons at Lake McDonald provide a clear view of the snow-blanketed mountains of Glacier National Park.

It may be cold and snowy on the outside, but within the cave depths at Mammoth Cave National Park, the temperature hovers around 54 degrees F (12.2 degrees C), year-round.

"Termination dust" refers to fall snow, signaling the end (or termination) of summer and the imminent arrival of winter.

"The expansive green space of Cuyahoga Valley National Park provides a refuge for many types of mammals. Forty-one mammal species have been documented in the park."

"The Chimney Rock Trail highlights Capitol Reef's geology, in both up-close views and broad panoramas. The trail initially climbs steeply alongside a fault ... once atop the bluff, hikers are rewarded with excellent views of Chimney Rock, the western escarpment of the Waterpocket Fold, and the high, volcanic plateau of Boulder Mountain to the southwest. The landscape's intense colors are at their peak just before sunset. This shadeless trail can be hot in summer; carry water, and use caution near cliff edges."