In a few short months, alpine wildflowers will be decorating the scene like this incredible shot of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. Capturing dawn’s early light means rising well before the body wants to, but you’re rewarded with extreme quiet and time to enjoy the sunrise. Recreate responsibly Photo courtesy of Nathaniel Wise.

Whooo let the kids out? Whoo whoo whoo! A burrowing owl family at the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge in California emerges from their artificial burrow. The burrows, dug by volunteers and refuge staff, give the owls a perfect place to raise their families. Photo courtesy of Wendy Miller.  

When you’re known as “The Jewel of Lake Superior,” you have a lot to live up to.
Apostle Island National Lakeshore in Wisconsin features a combination of spectacular natural beauty and rich cultural history.  

The islands are a sacred homeland for the Ojibwe people who live throughout the Great Lakes region. According to their written and oral history, they are the original inhabitants of this area and consider Madeline Island an important part of their past and present day lives. The Ojibwe call Madeline Island “Moningwunakauning” or “Home of the golden-breasted woodpecker.” Photo by Michael DeWitt (www.sharetheexperience.org)

Known for its history, picturesque blue waters, superlative coral reefs, and the vast assortment of bird life that frequents the area, Dry Tortugas National Park is an isolated gem surrounded by a wilderness of ocean.  

Dry Tortugas lies at the farthest end of the Florida Keys. The colorful corals, sea grass, and reef fish that call this watery wonderland home, are some of the most vibrant in the world. Photo by National Park Service  

A visit to the @mypubliclands areas of the Sierra Nevada in California can recharge the soul and awaken the senses. Writer Alice Walker said it best, “In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect.” Filled with lush wildflowers and picturesque mountains, the Sierras are nature’s perfection. Photo by Bob Wick Bureau of Land Management  

The night sky can be one of the most awe-inspiring views we will ever glimpse. Many people seek public lands to experience starry skies and dark nights. Let International Dark Sky Week inspire you to gaze into the vast universe this evening. Photo by @mypubliclands of Corona Arch in Utah.

As the pink and orange hues of sunrise paint the sky, the coastal wetlands of Bombay Hook Wildlife Refuge enter a new day. This Delaware refuge protects one of the largest remaining tidal salt marshes in the region. A nationally recognized birding spot, the refuge is an important habitat for thousands of migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. Photo by David Tally (sharetheexperience.com).

Is this an:

A. Short-tailed weasel
B. Ermine
C. Stoat  

If you answered all three, you win! Their names are interchangeable, but one thing remains the same, these pint-sized carnivores are highly resourceful, courageous, agile and excellent rodent control experts. Photo of stoat by National Park Service

There’s nothing to see here folks, move along.🐰

Marsh rabbits, like this one, are small cottontail rabbits with short rounded ears that are surprisingly strong swimmers.  Found in marshes and swamps of coastal regions of the Eastern and Southern U.S., the ears of this one were spotted at Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana. Photo by Clayton Vance (www.sharetheexperience.org).

Spring doesn’t mean a lack of snow in many parts of the country. With an annual average of 43 feet a year, Crater Lake National Park in Oregon is one of the snowiest places in the U.S. Snow may linger in the park until May and June even though the park’s official winter season is only through April. This shot is from Discovery Point and shows off the incredible grandeur of a snowy sunrise. Photo by Greg Nyquist (www.sharetheexperience.org).