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A short distance from Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park in Virginia is your escape to recreation. Cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, quiet wooded hollows -- take a hike, a meander along Skyline Drive, or a picnic with the family. Adventure awaits. Photo by Sharon Eisenzopf (www.sharetheexperience.org).

Ending National Park Service’s birthday with this sunset pic from one of the most beautiful places in the world: Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Grand Canyon overwhelms the senses through its immense size. Unique combinations of geologic color and erosional forms decorate a canyon that is 277 river miles long and up to 18 miles wide. Photo by Robert Shuman (www.sharetheexperience.org). ‪#‎FindYourPark‬

America's national parks are gorgeous!

Happy 99th birthday to National Park Service -- America’s best idea! On this day in 1916, the National Park Service was created to care for the country’s special places. Pictured here is Lower Falls at Yellowstone National Park, our first national park. Photo by Kallem Phillips (www.sharetheexperience.org). ‪#‎FindYourPark‬

We can’t get enough of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming -- where you can explore over two hundred miles of trails, float the Snake River or enjoy the serenity of this remarkable place. Be sure Photo of the Snake River by Arianna Grainey (www.sharetheexperience.org). Spread the word -- Tomorrow you can visit all national parks for free in celebration of the National Park Service’s 99th birthday!

Today, Interior approved the Blythe Mesa solar project in California that, when built, will generate enough clean energy to power more than 145,000 homes. Learn more! https://www.doi.gov/…/interior-department-approves-485-mega…

A landscape of sheer cliffs towering 1,000 feet above a ribbon of blue water: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a place where imagination meets reality. Bighorn Canyon has unrivaled recreation possibilities with world-class fishing, hiking and boating. Photo courtesy of Phil Seu.

The view from Rainbow Curve at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is extraordinary! Take in stunning mountain vistas that stretch for miles. This Tuesday experience the beauty of Rocky Mountain and all other national parks for free in celebration of National Park Service's 99th birthday. Photo by park volunteer Hahn.

One of the most beautiful spots at Yosemite National Park: Cathedral Lakes in Tuolumne Meadows. The area is popular with backpackers on the John Muir Trail and day hikers alike. Photo by Sean Goebel (www.sharetheexperience.org).

The fires in Montana’s Glacier National Park made for a breathtaking sunset last weekend. Photo from Lake McDonald by Jacob W. Frank, National Park Service.

Your recap of the key events this week at Interior -- from mourning the loss of the firefighters in Washington state to mobilizing active duty military personnel to fight western wildfires. Plus, celebrate the National Park Service's 99th birthday with free entrance to all national parks on Tuesday.

Big News: California's first wolf pack in nearly a century spotted on camera. California Department of Fish and Wildlife captured photos of the five gray wolf pups and two adults in Northern California -- the first time that a wolf was confirmed in the state since 1924. Learn more: http://on.doi.gov/1NqDUB5. Photo by California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Mount Rainier National Park's Paradise area is famous for its glorious views and wildflower meadows. We can definitely see why. Photo by Danny Seidman (www.sharetheexperience.org).

The desert storms come and go quickly, bringing an array of colors and beauty not seen anywhere else. Ranger Claudia Castillo captured this photo of a rainbow appearing after three different storms passed through Canyonlands National Park in Utah last week. Check out more amazing photos of Canyonlands at http://on.doi.gov/1UV3Rd4. Photos courtesy of Claudia Castillo.

This bear at Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska is clearly done with today! Video from the ‪#‎BearCam‬ by explore.org.

Clear skies and fireweed in the high country -- both are sure signs of mid-summer at Olympic National Park in Washington.

It's that time of year again! The nights are dark enough that when a good solar wind is blowing, the ‪#‎NorthernLights‬ are visible in the sky over Denali National Park and Preserve. Here is what the aurora borealis looked like at 2 am today over the Toklat River. Photo by Daniel A. Leifheit, National Park Service.

How will you help National Park Service celebrate its 99th birthday?

99 Ways to ‪#‎FindYourPark‬ → http://findyourpark.com/nps99

Summer storms make for some amazing pics. This photo was taken last week as a thunderstorm passed through the sage steppe on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming. The clouds thinned for just a few minutes at sunset, allowing the "magic" light to filter through the clouds as a bolt of lightning struck at the same time. Photo by Tom Koerner, USFWS.

Cotton candy skies over Yosemite Falls. This pic of Yosemite National Park was taken in the spring when the waterfall was at its peak. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Nguyen.