Nature: Plants Stories

Proud Lake Recreation Area

Michigan's Proud Lake has many flavors of wilderness to offer.

Beantowners love the sights the High Ledges area has to offer.

This favorite Pennsylvania destination of our editors is filled with old trees, shale cliffs, wildlife and stunning wildflowers.

Visit Croatan National Forest, a place so wild it has more flesh-eating plants than people.

They may look sweet and innocent, but blooming plants are the floral world's version of a hot 'n' steamy orgy.

As autumn closes in on the larches, the green bleeds out of their needles, leaving a towering spire of gold.

No color in nature comes close to matching the heart-stirring golden aspen found in the Rockies in autumn.

Figure on 9 days to do the entire 100-mile hike—unless you're slowed drastically by all the blueberries.

When hiking on Virginia's high, exposed heath balds in late summer, leave gorp and other snacks at home.

Have your camera ready near dusk, when sunlight warms the landscape with intense color.