9 US National Parks to visit in spring

Yoga (tree pose) above Yosemite, looking down at Half Dome rising out of Yosemite Valley

I want to do something different this year, something dog-friendly, maybe paddleboarding.

9 U.S. National Parks that offer unforgettable April adventures

Twenty-nine unusual activities to try in America’s natural parks like tree climbing

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Map of Yosemite National Park, California

There’s something magical about April: It’s not too hot, not too cold, and everything feels like it’s waking up from a long sleep (including megafauna after a long winter of indoor hibernation).

It’s the absolute sweet spot for getting outside and soaking in some stunning landscapes without freezing toes off or melting into a puddle of sweat.

Where better to do that than in some of the most awe-inspiring national parks the US has to offer?

From vibrant blooms to wild adventures, this is the season when these national treasures really show off their best sides. Let’s skip the tourist brochure chatter and get right into the good stuff. More

• The last true wildernesses on Earth (20 unspoiled natural paradises) | Travel Pug
• The most beautiful state park in every US state | loveexploring.com
• OOPS, wait, before you go: The decline of our national parks: Crisis from Trump-era cuts and what it means for 2025 travelers
• Build a backyard rental | Irontown Modular
• Discover Parks & Wildlife and Love Exploring via MSN.com, March 2025; Xochitl, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

850 pale, underground creatures discovered

850 mostly blind, pale creatures discovered underground
LiveScience.com
Down under in Australia, down underground that is, scientists have found 850 previously unknown species living in subterranean water, caves, and micro-caverns. These insects, crustaceans, spiders, and worms are likely only about one-fifth of the number of undiscovered species the researchers think exist underground amid the harsh conditions of the Australian outback. Two species of blind fish and two of blind eels were also uncovered.

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"What we've found is that you don't have to go searching in the depths of the ocean to discover new species of invertebrate animals — you just have to look in your own backyard," said researcher Andy Austin, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Adelaide in Australia. [Scientists say only a fraction of the species of plants and animals on the planet have been discovered.]

Only half of the species discovered have so far been named, the scientists announced today. Generically, the animals found in underground water are known as "stygofauna" and those from caves and micro-caverns are known as "troglofauna." More>>

• Man-sized dinosaur was a tiny T. Rex
• New worm species discovered on dead whales
• Why odd egg-laying mammals still exist