A couple of brown bears go fishing in Katmai National Park. Not a bad catch!

Photo: Susan Swick 

Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers year-round recreational opportunities for boating, fishing, hiking, photography, picnicking and sightseeing. It is also home to thousands of desert plants and animals, adapted to survive where rain is scarce and temperatures can soar.

Photo: National Park Service 

The majestic South Fork of the Snake River flows 66 miles across southeastern Idaho, through high mountain valleys, rugged canyons, and broad flood plains to its confluence with the Henry’s Fork near Menan Buttes.  Since 1985, the river has been eligible for inclusion in the nation’s Wild and Scenic River System. 

The South Fork supports the largest riparian cottonwood gallery forest in the West and is among the most unique and diverse ecosystems in Idaho.  It is also home to 126 bird species, including 21 raptors, meriting a “National Important Bird Area” designation.  The river also supports the largest native cutthroat fishery outside of Yellowstone National Park.  The corridor is also home for an impressive array of other wildlife including moose, deer, elk, mountain goats, mountain lions, black bears, bobcats, coyotes, river otter, beaver, fox, and mink.  

Among recreationists throughout the country, the South Fork is known as a premier blue ribbon trout fishery, and was selected as the host site for the 1997 World Fly-Fishing Championship. More than 300,000 visitors each year enjoy fishing, camping, hiking, and boating.

Photo: Bureau of Land Management 

This is the Birch Creek area along the National Landscape Conservation System’s Nez Perce National Historic Trail. Congress established the Nez Perce National Historic Trail in 1986. The trail stretches from Wallowa Lake, Oregon and across Idaho to the Bear Paw National Historic Trail in Chinook, Montana.

Photo: James Neeley

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 

Seney National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to watch wildlife, get out into nature and go exploring. Winter, spring, summer and fall, come out and enjoy them all. Located in the middle of the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan, there are so many ways to experience the Refuge. Whether you would like to drive the self-guided auto tour, stop by the Visitor Center, walk our trails, go hunting or fishing, take photographs, canoe, kayak, snowshoe, ski, or partake in a special event or program, the Refuge is a wonderful place to visit.

Photo: Atlee Hart - USFWS