Tomorrow is National Trails Day, when hundreds of organized activities – including hikes, educational programs, bike rides, trail rehabilitation projects, festivals, paddle trips, and trail dedications – will take place around the country. A listing of activities is available here.

This photo is from Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. We hope you’ll be able to get out and enjoy America’s great outdoors this weekend!

Photo: National Park Service 

On April 20, 2012, President Obama signed a Proclamation to designate the Fort Ord National Monument.  In his proclamation, the President stated that, “The protection of the Fort Ord area will maintain its historical and cultural significance, attract tourists and recreationalists from near and far, and enhance its unique natural resources, for the enjoyment of all Americans.”

The Fort Ord National Monument holds some of the last undeveloped natural wildlands on the Monterey Peninsula.  Located on the former Fort Ord military base, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) protects and manages 35 species of rare plants and animals along with their native coastal habitats.  Habitat preservation and conservation are primary missions for the Fort Ord Public Lands but there are also more than 86 miles of trails for the public to explore on foot, bike or horseback.

Photo: Bureau of Land Management 

Fewer than 12 inches of precipitation fall annually at Curecanti National Recreation Area, yet it is home to Colorado’s largest body of water. Blue Mesa Reservoir is one of three reservoirs along the once wild Gunnison River that were created primarily to provide water storage in the Upper Colorado River Basin.

Well known for outstanding salmon and trout fishing, Curecanti also offers opportunities for hiking, boating, camping and bird watching. Beyond the lakes, you’ll find sagebrush covered mesas, tall cottonwood trees and lush undergrowth of willow, steep canyons, and areas of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and aspen.

You’ll be hooked by the rugged beauty and recreational opportunities.

Photo: Lisa Lynch, National Park Service 

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge lies in northern Utah, where the Bear River flows into the northeast arm of the Great Salt Lake. The Refuge protects the marshes found at the mouth of the Bear River; these marshes are the largest freshwater component of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. Since these marshes are in turn surrounded by arid desert lands, it is little wonder that they have always been an oasis for waterfowl.

Photo: Sandy Mitchell, USFWS 

Deliberately setting aside the controversies of the war, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors the men and women who served when their Nation called upon them. The Memorial is a unit of National Mall and Memorial Parks. This world famous memorial stands prominently on the National Mall just northeast of the Lincoln Memorial.

On this Memorial Day, we honor the men and women in uniform who have died in service our country. 

Photo: Wei Sun, National Parks Service 

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute estimates the auroras are visible 243 nights a year from the Fairbanks area. Many photographers escape Fairbank’s ambient lights by traveling the Elliott or Steese Highways to capture the auroras. A popular destination is the Wickersham Dome Trailhead parking lot at mile 28 and nearby pullouts on the Elliott Highway. Those trails lead into the Bureau of Land Management-managed one-million-acre White Mountains National Recreation Area and its winter trails. Here’s a photo taken near the Wickersham Dome Trailhead.

Photo: Karen Laubenstein, BLM-Alaska 

The Kirtland’s warbler, an endangered species, is a songbird that nests in young jack pine stands. Until 1995 Kirtland’s warblers had only been known to nest in the northern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Today, they also nest in the Upper Peninsula, and since 2007, have nested in Wisconsin and Canada. They migrate from their nesting grounds to the southeastern coast of the United States on their way to wintering grounds in the Bahamas.

Photo: Joel Trick, USFWS 

Rising above a scene rich with extraordinary wildlife, pristine lakes, and alpine terrain, the Teton Range stands monument to the people who fought to protect it. These are mountains of the imagination. Mountains that led to the creation of Grand Teton National Park where you can explore over two hundred miles of trails, float the Snake River or enjoy the serenity of this remarkable place.

Photo: Sarah Zenner, National Park Service 

Last week we posted a stunning photo of the Maine coast at sunset. So this week, we thought we’d show the Central California coast at sunset. It just goes to show that no matter where you are in America’s Great Outdoors, beauty is all around you.

Photo: Joe MilMoe - USFWS 

Did you catch the solar eclipse yesterday? Thousands of people watched from National Parks yesterday, including hundreds at Arches National Park (pictured above). A great time was had by all!

Photo: National Park Service