7 Ways to Find Things to Do in Nature Near You (U.S. Edition)

Want to get outside and connect with nature, but don’t know where to start? Looking for something new close to home? Whether you're a newbie or a pro, our blogger has you covered.

Cara Cannon Byington

Watching a Baby Bison Die

This spring, well-meaning tourists tried to rescue a Yellowstone bison calf from the cold. It didn’t end well. What happens when we put our human narratives on the wild.

Kris Millgate

10 Overlooked Wildlife Experiences in Our National Parks

Move over grizzlies and bison. We’re looking for some of the more unusual national park wildlife encounters, from pupfish to endemic chipmunks to salamanders. How many have you seen?

Matthew L. Miller

Recovery: Mending Point Reyes, a Park Impaired by Invasive Mammals

Point Reyes National Seashore is recovering from an unusual invasive threat: non-native deer. Ted Williams reports.

Ted Williams

The Best Places to See 10 Iconic American Animals

What better way to celebrate the July 4 holiday than with some iconic American animals. Here's our list of the best places to see some of the coolest critters in the US.

Matthew L. Miller

10 National Monuments You’ve Never Heard Of

National parks get all the love, but what about national monuments? Check out our off the beaten path picks for adventurers and naturalists.

Justine E. Hausheer

10 Great State Parks for Wildlife

Sure, national parks get all the press. But across the United States, state parks offer incredible opportunities for birders, wildlife photographers and other naturalists. Here are ten of the best.

Matthew L. Miller

10 Top National Wildlife Refuges To Explore

For the traveling naturalist, there's a lifetime of adventures to be found on national wildlife refuges. But with 560 refuges, where to start? Our blogger offers up his favorites for birds and other wildlife, from spotting tropical specialties in Texas to hiking amongst bighorn sheep in Oregon.

Matthew L. Miller

Pupfish: Conserving a Mojave Desert Survivor

Sure, desert pupfish are tough. Hot water temperatures? They thrive in it. Creeks saltier than the ocean? No problem. But now pupfish face a bigger challenge -- people and their need for lots of water.

Matthew L. Miller

Traveling Naturalist: 5 Top Spots to See Yellowstone’s Wildlife

Heading to America's first national park? Our blogger points you to the best spots to see Yellowstone's diverse wildlife, including creatures very, very large and those very, very small.

Matthew L. Miller

The Traveling Naturalist: Solid Gold in the Rockies

<i>Introducing The Traveling Naturalist, a new series featuring natural wonders and biological curiosities for the science-inclined wanderer.</i> The Rocky Mountains in the spring are a <b>botanist’s delight</b>, with many hills, mountain meadows and buttes awash in color. Wildflowers – many of them with interesting natural and human histories – can be easily found on your public lands. Some exist in bright but tiny cluster on alpine peaks while others cover meadows in a palette of seemingly solid color. <b>My favorite</b>: the flower that paints many foothills bright gold throughout the West, <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/balsamorhiza_sagittata.shtml"><b>arrowleaf balsamroot</b></a> (<i>Balsamorhiza sagittata). </i>

Matthew L. Miller