Canyonlands

(Newser) - At first glance, most desert landscapes appear uniformly parched and bland. It’s easy to overlook cryptobiotic soil, or biocrust: the blackened “skin” that forms the vital top layer of desert soil. A closer look reveals a vibrant community of microbial cyanobacteria, algae, mosses, fungi, and lichens. And without...

(Newser) - The body of a missing University of Iowa student was found in Utah's Canyonlands National Park on Friday after three days of searching. Authorities say the body of 33-year-old Jonathan Hogue was found at the base of the Green River Outlook in the park's Islands of the Sky...

(Newser) - There's no better season than summer for sleeping outdoors under the stars. Get your fill of the Big Dipper at USA Today's ideal star-gazing spots:

1. Assateague Island National Seashore, Md./Va.
2. Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah
3. Big Bend National Park, Texas