Nature & Outdoors

Night sky reflected in lake at Watoga State Park in Pocahontas County, West Virginia (photo by Jessie Thornton)

Go stargazing at this state park in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, that is home to the largest designated dark-sky zone east of the Mississippi River. 

Couple railbiking along elevated track at Rail Explorers in Versailles, Kentucky (photo courtesy of Rail Explorers)

Go railbiking through Versailles, Kentucky, along the tracks of the 1888 Louisville Southern Railroad to explore the Bluegrass State in a new way. 

Kirtland's Warbler in a tree in Grayling, Michigan (photo courtesy of Kirtland's Warbler Tours)

Catch a glimpse of the rare Kirtland's warbler in Grayling, Michigan, during the species' annual migration north each spring.

Presque Isle Lighthouse in Erie, Pennsylvania (photo by Brian Berchtold)

Standing along the Lake Erie shore since 1873, this lighthouse in Erie, Pennsylvania, is brimming with maritime history. 

Pond with fountain and willow trees at Friendship Botanic Gardens in Michigan City, Indiana (photo courtesy of Friendship Botanic Gardens)

Created for the Century of Progress Exhibition in the 1930s, this 105-acre Michigan City, Indiana, park features more than two dozen themed gardens.

Cane Creek Falls at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Spencer, Tennessee (photo courtesy of Tennessee State Parks)

Take a hike through this state park in Spencer, Tennessee, to see Fall Creek Falls. The rushing waters plunge from 256 feet, making it the highest waterfall in the eastern United States. 

Family floating in inner tubes on the Big Sable River in Ludington, Michigan (photo by Todd Reed)

Go for a tubing adventure in Ludington, Michigan. The journey ends at a Lake Michigan beach perfect for swimming and sunbathing. 

People hiking on rock overlooking mountains in Dolly Sods Wilderness in Davis, West Virginia (photo courtesy of West Virginia Department of Tourism)

This Mountain State treasure spanning portions of Grant, Randolph and Tucker counties in West Virginia covers 17,000 acres filled with panoramic views and miles of trails to explore. 

 

People walking out of Hidden River Cave entrance in Horse Cave, Kentucky (photo courtesy of Hidden River Cave)

Traverse the longest underground suspension bridge in the world at this Horse Cave, Kentucky, attraction and take a guided tour to one of the largest free-standing cave domes in the country. 

People looking out of Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory in Waiteville, West Virginia (photo by Sharyn Ogden)

This former fire tower located on a mountaintop in Waiteville, West Virginia, is now a scenic lookout point along the Appalachian Trail where volunteers track the migration of raptors.