Despite surging popularity, national parks will be padlocked and rangers put out to pasture if the government shuts down

The Grand Canyon wants travelers to stop leaving so-called “love locks” on fencing in the park, warning the trend endangers animals. 

Skygazers in eight western U.S. states will be treated to a rare “ring of fire” eclipse on Saturday, Oct. 14. With the moon covering all but the outer edges of the sun, it will briefly look as though there’s a blazing ring of fire igniting the sky.

It will come as zero surprise that Las Vegas, Nevada, is considered the best party city in the US, according to a survey by U.S. News & World Report. What’s even less surprising is that Salt Lake City, Utah, did not make this top-10 list. Truth be told, it might not even crack the top 20. But it’s on the rise. With a boost from COVID and a number of other factors working in its favor, the Salt Lake City party scene is becoming a true nightlife ecosystem with its own unique style, sound and vibe. This is your guide to going out in the capital city of the Beehive State.

The Grand Canyon sees around 5 million visitors a year for good reason: its grandeur is unlike any other place in the world. However, just a few hours away, there is another “canyon” national park that is smaller, much less trafficked, more colorful, and surrounded by distinct natural wonders. Bryce Canyon Country includes Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Capitol Reef National Park, Kodachrome State Park, and so much more in its 3-million-plus acres of protected lands. It’s the perfect Grand Canyon alternative for anyone who wants to see Utah’s natural splendor without the same level of crowds — Bryce Canyon sees about 2.5 million annual visitors, Capitol Reef about 1.5 million, and not even one million visit Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument every year.

Imagine waking up to gorgeous lake views surrounded by misty mountains and trees lining the horizon as far as the eye can see. That’s the magic of Jasper National Park, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, where I recently spent a cozy retreat to welcome the fall season. Coming from the scorching heat of Phoenix, Arizona, my lungs craved the crisp morning air, while the desert girl in me relished and autumnal mountain hues — and I soaked it all in from the private balcony of an alpine lodge on the shores of Pyramid Lake.

This Saturday, October 14, a solar eclipse will be seen across the Americas. From inside a 125 miles wide path stretching across the U.S. Southwest and on to Central and South America, a “ring of fire” will be glimpsed for a few minutes as a smaller-looking new moon covers only the middle 90% of the sun.

Turn around, bright eyes. Come mid-October, a major celestial event will be viewable from major swaths of the Western Hemisphere. Or maybe just look up – with the proper eye protection, that is.

From the deserts of Arizona to the rocky coastline of Maine, from the sandy shores of Florida to the peaks of Colorado, the United States offers a breathtaking range of natural landscapes. The new National Geographic book Great Outdoors USA: 1,000 Adventures Across All 50 States reveals how to hike, raft, climb, surf, and bike through some of the best of them. Here are 50 of its top picks, one in each state.

In an ever-connected world, it can be hard to plan a fully unplugged getaway.

The “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse will, for most people in the U.S., be merely a partial solar eclipse. Only if you get into the 125 miles wide path that stretches from Oregon through Texas will you see the “ring of fire”—and only then for just a few minutes.

Peak fall foliage is popping in Estes Park, the mountain town just outside of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. Soon, the elk will be bugling as part of their annual mating ritual, a wildlife spectacle that draws tourists to the mountain town for “Elktober.” Down in southern Colorado, the “ring of fire eclipse” is projected to pass directly through Mesa Verde National Park on Oct. 14, drawing tourists eager to catch the rare celestial event among the Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings.

Most U.S. National Parks will shut down their operations if U.S. lawmakers don’t reach a deal to fund the federal government by Saturday night, the Department of Interior said Friday in a press release.