One of Utah’s best-preserved panels of Indian rock writing is usually bypassed by hurried travelers, which is unfortunate given the peaceful setting and ease of access. Located about 12 miles west of U.S. Highway 191 between Monticello and Moab, on Highway 211 leading to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, Newspaper Rock National Historical Site is one of the few petroglyph panels that you can literally drive right up to— no hiking required. Since this mixture of human, animal, and abstract forms can be seen and photographed up close, plan to stop and take a look at these amazing and perplexing 2,000+ year-old rock carvings.

Surrounded by towering cottonwood trees, Newspaper Rock features a 200 square foot area of extremely dense Native American petroglyphs inscribed into desert varnish, a blackish manganese-iron deposit that gradually forms on exposed sandstone cliff faces. Vandals have added a few of their own scribblings, but those are easy to spot and disregard. Concentrate on the real carvings, which are thought to have been made by the Anasazi (AD 1 to 1300), Fremont Indians (AD 700 to 1300) and Navajo (AD 1500 onwards). Newspaper Rock is about 250 feet tall, but the glyphs are located at its base, with only a chain-link fence to remind visitors not to touch.

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Where can you find an English style botanical garden, smolt flumes, fish ladders, a spillway, two ship canal locks, and a visitor center to explain it all? At the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Seattle, Washington! Known locally as the Ballard Locks, this is the most popular site along the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The locks are constantly busy elevating vessels up and down between Lake Washington (freshwater) and Puget Sound (saltwater)— from 16-foot canoes to 760-foot long cargo ships. The grounds are operated and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and are free to visit every day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Upon arrival, your first stop should be the staffed visitor center where you'll find brochures, books, gifts, exhibits, and a short orientation video. Here you’ll learn that the locks’ namesake, Hiram M. Chittenden, was responsible for designing the locks, but it was actually under the direction of Colonel James B. Cavanaugh that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers broke ground on the project in November 1911. The 8-mile-long, 100 feet wide, and 30 feet deep Lake Washington Ship Canal and Locks were finished six years later. Before Chittenden retired due to poor health, he was responsible for some of the most important engineering projects in the country—flood control projects for the Ohio River Basin and the Sacramento River in California, and the bridge and road system in Yellowstone National Park.

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Even if you didn’t know that Philipsburg, Montana is officially one of “America’s Prettiest Painted Places,” a walk through the historic commercial district illustrates just how much the local businesses take pride in their town. Decorative gables, cornices, and wrought iron balconies combine with vintage streetlights, flags, and hanging flower baskets to provide color and charm. In December, lighted wreaths welcome visitors. The next time you’re driving Montana’s Pintler Scenic Highway, stop in Philipsburg to stretch your legs. A historic walking tour (maps available everywhere in town) covers 50 finely restored buildings in just a few blocks. It’s a great way to learn a lot of history in a short amount of time.

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If you like getting up close and personal with history instead of peering at it through a glass case in a museum, you’ll enjoy the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail outside of Moab, Utah. Although short, this self-guided trail goes a long way in preserving the bones of dinosaurs that thrived here in swampy conditions 150 million years ago. These fossils are in situ, so you can’t any more authentic than seeing Jurassic-era Allosaurus, Stegosaurus, Camarasaurus, and other bones in their natural surroundings. You’ll also find fossilized wood. To get the whole story, follow the numbered interpretive signs along the trail, which used to be a river channel.

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Tucked away in the northeast corner of Oregon is the tiny town of Joseph. Back dropped by the snow-capped Wallowa Mountains, it’s easy to see why the area has been dubbed the “Little Switzerland of America.” But did you know it is also known as the “Bronze Valley of Oregon” thanks to its resident artists and bronze casting and fabrication facilities? Even if you’re not an art aficionado, you’ll still be impressed by the seven life-size, finely detailed bronze outdoor sculptures along Joseph’s “artwalk.”

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In 1910, a series of destructive wildfires roared through the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains, burning millions and millions of acres. These fires began in remote areas that were impossible to reach. Although devastating, this Big Burn brought about one good thing— the idea of parachuting into remote areas to suppress smaller fires before they burn out of control. Years later, the modern-day smokejumper was born! The next time you’re in Missoula, Montana, stop at the nation's largest training base for smokejumpers and take a free guided tour.

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More than 100 U.S. national parks charge entrance fees year round (ranging from $3 to $25), but on Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday weekend— January 14-16, 2012 — all national parks are FREE! The fee waiver includes entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees, but fees for reservations, camping, tours, concessions and fees collected by third parties are not waived unless stated. With 394 national parks throughout the country, most Americans live within a few hours of one, so now is the time to take an easy day trip close to home, or hit the road for an extended vacation.

Although entrance fees at all national parks are waived January 14-16, if you’d like to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in a special way, you can literally walk in Dr. King’s footsteps at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Georgia, or the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail in Alabama. Although not a national park, the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama is open for tours. This small red brick church is the place Dr. King began his quest for civil rights— from a pulpit.

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When you think of popular attractions in Arizona, the Grand Canyon is top of mind. But did you know that the London Bridge in Lake Havasu City is the state’s second-largest attraction? Thousands of visitors come each year to see the city’s claim to fame — the actual 930-foot long bridge that once used to span a section of the Thames River.

The Lake Havasu City Visitors Center conducts a 45-minute walking tour of the London Bridge for $5 per person, but it’s good to know a little of the history before you go. Contrary to popular belief, this is NOT the same London Bridge of nursery-rhyme fame. That original structure was built between 1176 and 1209, and survived more than 600 years before being replaced by a newer bridge, which was completed in 1831. The replacement couldn't handle the ever-increasing flow of modern traffic, so by 1962, the London Bridge was literally falling down.

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If your New Year’s resolutions include getting more exercise in the coming year, get started on the right foot with a January 1^st hike in a state park near you. For the first time ever, all 50 states are collaborating on a single, nationwide state parks event occurring on the same day— January 1, 2012. The free, guided First Day Hikes program offers a great way to get outside, get a little exercise, enjoy nature and explore a state park close to home or wherever you might be traveling this time of year.

Although not yet well known in all states, First Day Hikes originated over 20 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, Massachusetts. The program was launched to promote both healthy lifestyles and year round recreation at state parks. Many other states have since joined the program, but this is first time all 50 state park systems have joined together to sponsor First Day Hikes.

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If you were a fan of the Wild, Wild West television series back in the mid-1960s, you might recall the magnificent train— the Wanderer— that special agents James West and Artemus Gordon traveled aboard. The Wanderer was pulled by the Inyo, which is one of the oldest steam engines still operating in the U.S. If you’d like another look at this famous locomotive, head to the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City. Once a year, the Inyo is fired up and brought out on the tracks as part of the museum’s annual Independence Day celebration. If you visit at other times, you can still see it on display indoors. In addition to the Wild, Wild West, the Inyo also appeared in nearly 30 other films. Many of the museum’s other key pieces were obtained from Hollywood studios, too.

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