Zion National Park was recently given official Dark Sky Status which means it has now joined the ranks of other dark sky parks around the world. In order to achieve this, a park must be practically devoid of light pollution in order to see astronomical features that aren't usually visible to the human eye without the use of a telescope or binoculars. With the park's new status, visitors will notice an uptick in events that will occur after dark, and these are definitely something to take advantage

This is one of the most difficult hikes in all of the park but it rewards hikers with eye-watering panoramic views at the top. The full length of the trail is a 17-mile long loop. But if one would rather there is also a 2.7-mile trail leading directly to the summit of Mount Sterling. This is one of the only 4,000 foot climbs on the eastern seaboard and is also one of the most popular day hiking and overnight trips in the eastern half to the national p

While horses may be more iconic of the American West, the humble mule is the animal of choice for such a trek. In fact, the iconic painting by Jacques-Louis David of Napoleon crossing the Alps on a noble white horse was propaganda. Napoleon actually crossed on a mule. Mules combine sure-footedness with the strength of a ho

Inside the park, one of the options is camping. Mount Desert Island has two campgrounds and the is another on the Schoodic Peninsula. On the Isle au Haut, there are five lean-to sites to choose from. The capacity of these sites has been reduced due to the pande

Ordinarily, they offer a guided one-hour campfire trail ride that ventures to the wagon ride at the campfire, everyone returns by wagon. The horse-wagon ride takes riders to the campfire and back by wagon. Bring one's own food (none is provid

Imagine oneself in the Old Wild West on a horseback ride in one of the world's most dazzling natural attractions. Horse (or mule) rides make one feel like a cowboy (or cowgirl) as one descends deep into the most famous canyon in the world. There are horse and mule rides in the Grand Canyon - with the option of spending the night in the can

With that being said, the real question is this: when is the best time to explore this popular park? Undeniably, it's during the fall season. There are a number of reasons as to why this is the best time to head down to Zion; the first, obviously, is the heat. Arizona summers can be brutal and while temperatures might cool off later in the day at Zion when the sun is overhead, it's going to feel exactly like the desert environment that it is. During the months of September and October, the average precipitation is limited to just four days or so which means for an overwhelming majority of the month, there are plenty of nice, sunny days on which to trek its many hiking trails or stay at its campgrou

One may be mistaken to think that the grand canyon is a dry land without life. The canyon has a human population of about 208 people in the Sipai village. Additionally, the canyon is home to 18 species of fish, 373 bird species, 91 mammals, and 58 species of reptiles. There are also many endangered species that inhabit the canyon. Some of them include the southwestern willow flycatcher, the humpback chub, Kanab amber snail, and the razorback sucker. There are also 1,747 plant spec

For those seeking to explore the park on their own, fear not - other hikers and visitors are almost always around, and trails are well-marked with blazes. Trails vary in difficulty from treks such as Angel's Landing and Observation Point, which both require a degree of tactical Nature hiking game online guide|https://naturetrailinsight.com/ (and require that hikers leave their fear of heights at home), as well as trails like Canyon Overlook and Emerald Pools. Both of the latter are easier hikes and the first is family-friendly while also providing spectacular views along the

The first French missionary colony in America was here on Mount Desert Island back in 1613. It was destroyed by the Colony of Virginia and heralded the long struggle in the continent between the English and the French and the English speaking colonists and the French colonists. This would eventually boil over into the French and Indian Wars and the French would be forced to cede it to the English. During the War of Independence, it was a part of Massachusetts before eventually becoming part of Ma

In 1903, brothers Ellsworth and Emery Kolb opened up a photography studio at the canyon's South Rim. Emery decided to live at the Grand Canyon his entire life, and after he passed, a skeleton with a bullet hole in the skull's temple was discovered in his gar

The biome of Zion National Park is rather unique in the sense that it experiences a wide range of temperatures and weather patterns depending on the time of the year. During the summer and winter months, the region experiences extremes of both seasons - with summers being extraordinarily hot and winters being cold enough to bring snow. The park also has a monsoon season and during the months of January, February, and March, there are typically anywhere from seven to eight days of full precipitation which can cause flash flooding, according to Wildland Trekking . These weather conditions apply to both Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyon so it's always better to check the weather report prior to heading