Commercial hunting of humpback whales, like this one flashing its flukes in Alaska's Frederick Sound, reduced their population to just a few thousand worldwide in the 1960s. But an international whaling ban has helped them rebound, and new census numbers show the North Pacific population alone could be more than 10,000 and possibly as many as 25,000.
(Photograph shot on assignment for, but not published in, "A Wilder Passage," May/June 1999, National Geographic Traveler magazine)
There are 58 national parks in the U.S., as varied as the country that houses them. We've gathered everything you need to know to set off for a summer adventure, plus photo galleries, quizzes, maps, and more.
Merry-go-rounds, deep-fried corndogs and high-flying Ferris wheels mark the start of state fair season. Submit your best summer fair pictures to the newest category of My Shot and view photos from other fairs across the country.
The desolate beauty of Alaska's Seward Highway offers the chance to explore nature uninhibited by human influence. Whales, waterfalls, glaciers and ocean fjords all await travelers of this remote locale.
