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Virginia State Parks Highlight Challenging Hikes for Fitness and Adventure Seekers

Virginia State Parks Highlight Challenging Hikes for Fitness and Adventure Seekers

Virginia State Parks Highlight Challenging Hikes for Fitness and Adventure Seekers
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U.S. Outdoor Destinations Offer Uncrowded Alternatives to Popular Parks

U.S. Outdoor Destinations Offer Uncrowded Alternatives to Popular Parks

Many popular U.S. outdoor destinations, such as Yellowstone and Yosemite, experience significant crowds, leading to packed trailheads and bustling campgrounds. However, numerous less-crowded alternatives across the country offer equally adventurous experiences. For instance, Billings, Montana, located near Yellowstone, provides over 50 miles of trails and scenic views without the crowds. Silverthorne, Colorado, offers a less congested option near Breckenridge with its Blue River Trail and access to more adventurous terrain. Tucson, Arizona, boasts Saguaro National Park and Coronado National Forest, providing extensive hiking and scenic drives. Chattanooga, Tennessee, designated as the country's first National Park City, features over 50 trailheads within a 30-minute drive. Other notable uncrowded spots include Pagosa Springs, Colorado, known for its hot springs and national forest access; Roanoke, Virginia, with its proximity to the Appalachian Trail; and Duluth, Minnesota, offering over 200 miles of hikin...
Lubbock Avalanche-JournalLubbock Avalanche-Journal
Caprock Chronicles on if grizzly bears once roamed the South Plains

Caprock Chronicles on if grizzly bears once roamed the South Plains

Bear with Caprock Chronicles this week as historians explore if grizzlies once roamed the South Plains of Texas.
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2026 UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP 17) to Focus on Translating Global Commitments into National Action

2026 UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP 17) to Focus on Translating Global Commitments into National Action

The seventeenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) is scheduled to take place in Yerevan, Armenia, in 2026. Ahead of this conference, experts and partners convened to discuss the critical deliverables for nature and people. The discussions, held at the David Attenborough Building and online, focused on how global biodiversity commitments, particularly those from the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, can be effectively translated into national action. Key themes emerged, including strengthening national monitoring systems, mobilizing finance for conservation, and supporting inclusive conservation practices. The panel highlighted the existing gap between national commitments and global ambition, citing limited resources, capacity, and coordination as significant barriers to implementation. The first global review of progress towards the framework's implementation is underway, though evidence remains incomplete as countries develop their plans.
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Japan Opens New 350-Kilometer Walking Trail, Expanding Outdoor Recreation Options

Japan Opens New 350-Kilometer Walking Trail, Expanding Outdoor Recreation Options

Japan Opens New 350-Kilometer Walking Trail, Expanding Outdoor Recreation Options
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Michigan State University Students Awarded Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service

Michigan State University Students Awarded Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service

Michigan State University (MSU) undergraduates Anabelle Sanchez and Grace Gramza have been named recipients of the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service. This scholarship, a joint initiative by the Obamas and Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky, aims to support college students committed to public service. Sanchez and Gramza are MSU's second and third recipients of the award, which provides up to $50,000 in financial aid, a $10,000 stipend for a summer work-travel experience, free Airbnb housing for that experience, and access to a network of mentors and leaders. The 2026-2028 cohort includes 100 students from 39 states and territories, representing 68 colleges and universities. Sanchez, a political theory and public policy major, focuses on educational equity, while Gramza, a biosystems engineering major, is dedicated to environmental policy and water quality research, particularly concerning PFAS degradation.
Palm Beach PostPalm Beach Post
Palm Beach County students: Your presidential speech could win $1,000

Palm Beach County students: Your presidential speech could win $1,000

Students in grades 5-12 can win cash prizes by submitting a video of their own presidential inaugural address.
SB NationSB Nation
MLS honcho would love to see Bayern Munich star Harry Kane in America

MLS honcho would love to see Bayern Munich star Harry Kane in America

The FC Bayern could have a future in MLS.
USA TodayUSA Today
Trump to award science medals to Elon Musk and others

Trump to award science medals to Elon Musk and others

Almost all of the award recipients or their companies have donated to either Trump’s campaign, his inauguration fund or the White House ballroom project.
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Yosemite National Park Ranks Fourth in National Hiking Destinations

Yosemite National Park Ranks Fourth in National Hiking Destinations

Yosemite National Park has been ranked fourth among the best national parks for hiking in KURU Footwear's 2026 analysis. The park was preceded by Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and Rocky Mountain national parks, with Acadia National Park completing the top five. KURU Footwear's ranking methodology considered three primary factors: annual visitation, the total number of hiking trails available, and the average user ratings of these trails. Visitation accounted for 34 points in the scoring system, while trail variety and user ratings each contributed 33 points. Yosemite is noted for having 298 hiking trails and an average user rating of 4.6. The data for this assessment was sourced from platforms like AllTrails and official National Park Service visitation statistics. The park offers a diverse range of hiking experiences, from easy, short walks like the one-mile Cook’s Meadow Loop and Lower Yosemite Fall loop, to strenuous, multi-day treks such as the Half Dome route, which spans 14-16.4 miles with a 4,...
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Robert Redford's Sundance: A Legacy of Arts, Conservation, and Sustainable Development in Utah

Robert Redford's Sundance: A Legacy of Arts, Conservation, and Sustainable Development in Utah

Robert Redford's Sundance: A Legacy of Arts, Conservation, and Sustainable Development in Utah
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Oregon State Parks Offer Diverse Hiking Experiences Across the State

Oregon State Parks Offer Diverse Hiking Experiences Across the State

Oregon State Parks provide a wide array of hiking opportunities, catering to various skill levels and preferences. For instance, Silver Falls State Park, located near Salem, features a dramatic forested canyon with ten waterfalls, some of which hikers can walk behind. The park boasts over 35 miles of trails, including the popular 7.2-mile Trail of Ten Falls and the more accessible one-mile North Rim Trail. Further north, Oswald West State Park near Seaside offers 2,484 acres of hiking trails within a temperate rainforest along the coastline, including a half-mile walk to Short Sand Beach and a 13-mile section of the Oregon Coast Trail. In southern Oregon, Collier Memorial State Park allows visitors to explore trails and wade in the Williamson River, with a 10-mile route connecting to the Fremont-Winema National Forest. Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park, north of Florence, also features trails that are part of the Oregon Coast Trail, leading to scenic spots like the Heceta Head Lighthouse. These parks e...