分类必应美图下的文章

洛斯巴鲁埃科斯自然纪念碑上的白鹳，西班牙卡塞雷斯 White storks at Los Barruecos Natural Monument, Caceres, Spain (© Wild Wonders of Europe/Widstrand/Minden Pictures)

Storks ready for take-off

It's migration season for white storks, shown here tending to a nest at Los Barruecos Natural Monument in Central Spain. This destination is known for large, granite boulders intermixed with sculptures created by local artists—and it's a favorite stork nesting spot. In August and September, white storks depart their nests for a 25-day trip south to their African wintering grounds, where they gather in large flocks. The species returns to Europe again nine months later—hence its unique role in folklore, giving parents a low-stress way to answer the question ‘where do babies come from?'

威斯康星州贝菲尔德附近的阿波斯特尔群岛国家湖岸，一只皮划艇正在探索砂岩海蚀洞 Kayaker exploring sandstone sea caves in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore near Bayfield, Wisconsin (© Chuck Haney/Danita Delimont)

A ‘Superior' paddle

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore off the northern tip of Wisconsin is a paradise for kayakers and campers, and those who like to combine the two. The park includes 21 islands which, if you're willing to transport your own gear, offer uncrowded camp sites because, well, they're islands. Once you're in a kayak, you can explore some of the red sandstone sea caves, which are best appreciated from the water.

And yet, like many wild and rugged places that offer superlative views, be warned before venturing out. This is Lake Superior, the largest, deepest, roughest, and coldest of the five Great Lakes. Even on warm summer days, the water barely rises above 50 degrees, and the winds can be as fierce as any sea. So if you plan to kayak the Apostles, take care. Enjoy the adventure but make sure you check the weather report and prepare before paddling away.

克拉莫克湖上的倒影，英国坎布里亚湖区 Reflections on Crummock Water in the Lake District, Cumbria, England (© Damian Harrison/Alamy)

Reflected glory of the Lakes

Natural lakes reflect surrounding mountains, fells and forests here in Cumbria's Lake District, a UNESCO World Heritage site whose picturesque landscape has inspired writers from William Wordsworth to Beatrix Potter. Crummock Water and its neighbours, Buttermere and Loweswater sit in one of the prettiest parts of the Northern Lakes, the Vale of Lorton. Their chilly, clear waters make them an ideal home for the Arctic Charr as well as brown trout, sea trout and salmon. Also look out for Lakeland sheep wandering onto the roads and for red squirrels around Loweswater.

The Lake District gets busy during the summer, but Crummock Water is considered one of the quieter lakes. It is a favourite with swimmers however and going for a dip is a popular way to cool off after a walk around its shores. The lake itself is 2.5 miles long, about half-a-mile wide and, in parts, more than 140 feet deep. It's fed by streams, including one from Scale Force, the Lake District's tallest single-drop waterfall, at 170 feet high.

夏威夷火山国家公园，夏威夷 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii (© Grant Ordelheide/Tandem Stills + Motion)

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park turns 103

Let's light some candles today—103 of them—for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaii. On this day in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill to establish the park in what was then the US Territory of Hawaii. (Hawaii wouldn't become a state until 1959.) The park contains a rich array of biodiversity, important historic sites of Native Hawaiians, and the glowing stars of the show—two of the world's most active volcanos, Mauna Loa and Kīlauea.

The massive Mauna Loa rises 56,000 feet from the sea floor, which means it's more than 27,000 feet taller than Everest. Kīlauea made headlines in 2018 for oozing lava for four months straight. This eruption destroyed over 700 homes and damaged roadways, park trails, buildings, and other infrastructure. Why did we call this place the land of laze and vog? You'll have to take today's quiz to find out.

巴伐利亚森林国家公园的树梢步道，德国诺伊舍瑙 A treetop walkway in the Bavarian Forest National Park, Neuschönau, Germany (© imageBROKER/Alamy)

Go climb a tree

This treetop trail in Germany's Bavarian Forest National Park is one of the world's longest canopy trails—and one of the most unique. Visitors to the egg-shaped trail can wind their way around the trees for almost a mile, reaching heights of 144 feet all while getting breathtaking views of firs, beeches, spruces, and more. Not only do canopy walkways like this one give visitors a bird's-eye view of the surrounding forests, they also allow people to experience nature without harming it.

Carhenge, created by Jim Reinders near Alliance, Nebraska (© Charlie Summers/Minden Pictures)

Road-trip worthy attraction in the heartland

Today we're visiting Carhenge, a popular roadside attraction in western Nebraska. Carhenge is the passion project of Jim Reinders, who came up with the idea to memorialize his father. Like Stonehenge, Carhenge is a glimpse of culture now past—the heyday of the American automobile. While living in England, Reinders studied Stonehenge's structure, which allowed him to replicate the formation using 39 vehicles, including cars, trucks, and even one Jeep. For the construction Reinders and about 35 family members helped build the attraction in June 1987. And with another nod to Stonehenge, they dedicated it on the summer solstice that same month. Since then, more than 60,000 people have visited the attraction and it's appeared in music videos, TV shows, commercials, and even on an album cover.

胡德山国家森林里的延龄草湖，俄勒冈州 Trillium Lake in Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon (© Frank Krahmer/Getty Images)

A picture-perfect day on Trillium

Today we're out on Trillium Lake, a manmade lake in the shadow of Mount Hood, Oregon's tallest peak. Formed in 1960 by damming a tributary of the Salmon River, Trillium Lake's a popular spot for fishing, camping, and boating. In springtime, the surrounding woods are filled with trilliums, the native flowering plants the lake's named for. Take the flat, 1.9-mile loop trail around the lakeshore for stunning views of Mount Hood. But don't stop there. Mount Hood National Forest has more than 1,200 miles of hiking trails, not to mention year-round skiing at higher elevations. Wrap up your day at the Timberline Lodge, built during the Great Depression by the WPA and now a US National Historic Landmark. Bonus fact: Timberline Lodge was used for exterior shots of the Overlook Hotel in the horror movie 'The Shining.' But don't let that scare you off visiting.

Longer days mean warmer sand

Today we're hitting the beach in Costa Rica's Cahuita National Park because, well, just take a look at this place. If the sun gets too intense, we might take a stroll into the park's lowland wet forest where, if we're lucky, we'll see sloths, toucans, and howler and capuchin monkeys; or maybe we'll encounter armadillos, coatis, iguanas, and tamanduas (anteaters). After that, we'll take a dip in the Caribbean waters offshore to marvel at coral reefs, sea turtles, and hundreds of species of fish.

But of course, it is still summer here in North America, and we have plenty of local options for a day at the beach. Thousands of miles of ocean and lake shoreline are waiting to be explored, including coastlines in 85 US national parks (the National Park Service started protecting our seashores and lakeshores in 1930). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates the US shoreline at 95,471 miles, with the Great Lakes delivering the most contiguous shores at 4,530 miles (more than the West or East Coasts). Granted, not every shoreline is sandy, but with nearly 100,000 miles to choose from, we're confident you'll locate a suitable spot to lounge in your chaise this summer.

Jane's Carousel delights

National Merry-Go-Round day brings us to the Brooklyn waterfront, home of Jane's Carousel, a ride that's been delighting riders for nearly a century. Its story starts in 1922, an era of speakeasies and flappers and a booming time in carousel history, when the rides were a symbol of a community's prosperity. Jane's Carousel was built in Idora Park in Youngstown, Ohio, a steel city.

Like many carousels produced in that time, the ride fell into disrepair. It was damaged in a fire and Idora Park closed to the public in 1984. That's when New York couple Jane and David Walentas bought it for $385,000 at auction and shipped the carousel to Brooklyn for a waterfront restoration project. The carousel was painstakingly restored over a period of 27 years—a project overseen by Jane herself. It's now housed in a glass ‘jewel box' pavilion designed by Pritzker Prize-winner Jean Nouvel at Brooklyn Bridge Park. The cost of the entire project totaled $15 million—a testament to the love that America has for these nostalgic rides.

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