If you’ve never experienced the Blue Ridge Parkway in the fall, you’re missing out on something special. The rolling mountains and forested ridges North Carolina and Virginia shimmer in the sunset like copper and gold. While we marvel at the views, birds soar higher on the rising winds; their sharp calls echoing from mountaintop to valley bottom. A short walk off the parkway puts you into a landscape of stout trees and rushing streams. You won’t want to leave. Photo by Norman Lathrop (www.sharetheexperience.org).

As National Wildlife Refuge Week comes to a close, we hope you’ve taken the time to learn more about these amazing places. There’s a wildlife refuge in every state, many of them near urban centers. From the everyday relaxation of a walk in the fresh air, to the unexpected thrill of seeing a rare bird or dramatic landscape, experiences at wildlife refuges can make terrific memories. See you out there! Photo of fall foliage at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska by Lisa Hupp, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Here’s another spot to celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week. Located in the gorgeous Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge serves as an important resting, feeding and nesting ground for migratory birds along the Atlantic Flyway. With almost 10,000 acres to explore, visitors can enjoy bird watching, fishing, boating, hiking and photography while learning about wildlife and the environment. Photo by Doug Racine, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Don’t you just love a nice autumn walk? The crisp air, the colorful leaves and the creak of the boardwalk under your feet. Located within parts of four New England states: New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut, Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge is the only refuge of its kind to encompass an entire watershed and a great place for the ideal fall stroll. The refuge includes a wide variety of unique habitats such as northern forest valuable as nesting habitat for birds, rivers and streams teeming with fish, and fresh, brackish and salt marshes where you can spot anything from moose to turtles. Photo by David Eisenhauer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

A visit to Everglades National Park in Florida can be electrifying. From lightning bolts ripping across the sky to an alligator splashing into the water nearby, there are many experiences that can make your hair stand up. But beyond the large and loud moments, an alluring human story of the Everglades is deeply interwoven with its endless marshes, dense mangroves, towering palms and tropical fauna. Various groups and people navigated through and wrestled with the watery landscape to make it home. It won’t take long for you to form a deep respect for this unique landscape and the people and wildlife who have met its challenges. Photo by Luis Forte, National Park Service.

Known simply as “the Arch,” architect Eero Saarinen’s stainless steel construction dominates the St. Louis skyline. Finished in 1965 and standing 630 feet tall, the Gateway Arch is the tallest memorial in the U.S. and its ingenious elevator design allows visitors to enjoy the incredible view from the top. Gateway Arch National Park also includes an excellent museum sharing the history of the American West and the nineteenth century Old Courthouse - site of the Dred Scott trial. Powerful stories and an epic view? Yes, please! Photo by National Park Service.

Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota is a wandering maze of interconnected waterways and deep forests. A place of transition in the heart of the continent, this unique landscape was formed by ancient earthquakes and volcanoes and more recently, glaciers. The most recent period of glaciation ended just over 10,000 years ago, exposing ancient Precambrian rocks. The forests that now cover the higher grounds of the park exist on a thin layer of soil that has formed in the comparatively short period of time since the last glacier receded. They look especially nice wearing their fall colors, too. Photo by Tom Gable, National Park Service.

Like ribbons of gold, fall colors streak across the landscape at Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. In these forests and across the tundra, animals fill their bellies and caches with enough food to last them through the coming winter. Every cold breeze is a reminder that this autumn beauty is a farewell to light. Each day sees a little less sun. Each night grows longer and darker. Soon, everything will come to a halt, and dream of spring. Photo by Nathaniel Gonzales (www.sharetheexperience.org).

Lace up your boots! The National Trails System Act of 1968 promoted the establishment of trails in both urban and rural settings for people of all ages, interests, skills and physical abilities. Winding through some of our nation’s most striking natural beauty, the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Coast Trail were the first trails added to this fantastic national system. Beyond recreation, other trails follow routes of travel of national historic significance including past paths of exploration, migration and military action. It’s exercise for mind, body and soul. Photo on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina courtesy of Joshua T. Moore.

Flat calm, soft babble, rushing current or thundering rapids, an individual river can change its own mood and character on any given day. Depending on the flow, sitting by a river can be calming or exhilarating. One of the oldest rivers in the world, the New River runs through New River Gorge National River in West Virginia. In all that time, its moving waters cut a canyon more than 1,000 feet deep in the hard stone of the Appalachian Mountains. From riverbank or rim’s edge, it’s an impressive sight. Photo by National Park Service.