Washington State Route 26

State Route 26 (SR 26) is a state highway in central Washington in the United States. It travels east–west for from Interstate 90 (I-90) near Vantage to U.S. Route 195 (US 195) in Colfax. The highway intersects several major north–south highways, including SR 24, SR 17, US 395, and SR 261 before ending in Colfax. The route serves as a connector between Vantage, Royal City, Othello, Washtucna, La Crosse, and Colfax.
The easternmost section of SR 26, between Dusty and Colfax was formerly part of the Inland Empire Highway and US 295 for most of the early 20th century. The rest of modern SR 26 was added to the state highway system in 1937 and 1951 as Secondary State Highway 11B (SSH 11B) from Washtucna to Dusty and SSH 7C from Vantage to Washtucna, respectively. The two highways were combined to form SR 26 in the 1964 state highway renumbering, but several sections of the highway were not completed until the 1970s. SR 26 initially terminated at Dusty, but was extended to Colfax over SR 127 in 1979.
Route description.
SR 26 begins at an interchange with I-90 on the east end of the Vantage Bridge on the Columbia River, opposite the town of Vantage and the Ginkgo/Wanapum State Park. The highway travels south for to the mouth of the Sand Hollow, where it intersects SR 243, which continues downriver to Mattawa and the Vernita Bridge. SR 26 turns southeast and travels up the barren Sand Hollow to the Royal Slope and its irrigated fields, situated between the Frenchman Hills to the north and the Saddle Mountains to the south. The highway continues east across the plateau's farms and turns southeast at Royal City, near which it intersects SR 262. SR 26 crosses into the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge in the foothills of the Saddle Mountains and enters Adams County near Tauhton.
The highway follows a section of the Royal Slope Railroad, operated by the Port of Royal Slope and connecting to the Columbia Basin Railroad, into Othello. SR 26 crosses over SR 24, which it intersects via two side streets, and continues along the southern outskirts of the city to an interchange with SR 17. From Othello, the highway runs east across the rural Paradise Flats, home to Othello Municipal Airport and a field research outpost for the Washington State University's Irrigated Agricultural Research and Extension Center. SR 26 then descends into the Hatton Coulee, where it reaches a rest area and an interchange with US 395, a freeway that connects to the Tri-Cities. The highway continues east across the Rattlesnake Flat, where it intersects SR 21, and descends into Washtucna Coulee. SR 26 reaches the town of Washtucna, where it intersects the concurrent SR 260 and SR 261, which continue south to Kahlotus and north to Ritzville, respectively.
SR 26 follows the Columbia Plateau Trail and the Palouse River through the rough terrain of the Palouse. It crosses into Whitman County east of Hooper, where the state-owned Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad splits from the Union Pacific Railroad. The highway continues to follow the railroad, now traveling along Willow Creek, and passes the town of La Crosse and its municipal airport. SR 26 crosses several miles of farms in the rolling Palouse hills before reaching Dusty and an intersection with SR 127, which connects with US 12 on the south side of the Snake River. After following Alkali Flat Creek for a short distance, the highway turns northeasterly and ascends a section of the Palouse. SR 26 passes the Port of Whitman Business Air Center Airport and Whitman County Fairgrounds before rejoining the railroad and Palouse River at the west end of Colfax. The highway crosses the river and travels through an industrial area before terminating at an intersection with US 195 on the north side of downtown Colfax. A short spur route connects to southbound US 195 by crossing over a section of the Palouse River. The section between Hooper and Colfax is defined as part of the Palouse Scenic Byway, which encompasses a number of state highways in the Palouse region.
SR 26 is maintained by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), which conducts an annual survey on the state's highways to measure traffic volume in terms of average annual daily traffic. Average daily traffic volumes on the highway in 2016 ranged from a minimum of 1,200 vehicles on the section between SR 21 and Wastucna to a maximum of 7,000 vehicles west of Othello. The entire route of SR 26 and its spur route are designated as part of the National Highway System, a network of roads identified as important to the national economy, defense, and mobility. SR 26 is also considered the main link between Western Washington and the Washington State University campus in Pullman and sees a noticeable spike in traffic during football games and school holidays. The highway is characterized as "dull and boring" by students, prompting towns along the route attempting to lure drivers with scenic guidebooks and posters.
History.
The easternmost section of SR 26 roughly follows the Old Territorial Road, a military road constructed in the 1870s between Fort Walla Walla to Fort Colville, passing through the Palouse. The road was improved by county governments and incorporated into the Inland Empire Highway, part of the initial system of state-designated highways adopted in 1913. The highway was numbered as State Road 3 in 1923 and split between several highways under the federal government's system enacted in 1926, including US 295 between Dodge and Colfax.
The state legislature reformed the highway system in 1937, adopting a new numbering scheme consisting of primary and secondary routes, and took over maintenance of roads using gas tax revenues. The Inland Empire Highway became Primary State Highway 3 (PSH 3) and a county road from Connell to Washtucna and Dusty was designated as Secondary State Highway 11B (SSH 11B). The remainder of modern-day SR 26, from Vantage to Washtucna, was little more than a collection of unpaved local roads that ran further north along Crab Creek. SSH 7C was established by a legislative act in 1951, intending to replace existing county roads from a junction with PSH 7 (US 10) on the east side of the Vantage Bridge to PSH 11 (US 395) near Othello. The highway was then extended east to Washtucna in 1957 and supplemented with a branch route connecting to the Vernita ferry on SSH 11A. The Othello–Washtucna highway and a series of connecting farm-to-market roads were built from 1957 to 1965 by the state highway department, bypassing existing county roads. The Vantage–Othello highway was completed concurrently in the early 1950s.
SR 26 was established during the 1964 state highway renumbering, with instituted a system of sign routes (now state routes) to replace the earlier system of primary and secondary highways. SR 26 was created as a new east–west trunk highway and replaced all of SSH 7C and the eastern half of SSH 11B, terminating in the west near Vantage and in the east at Dodge. US 295 was decommissioned from the national highway system in 1967 and wholly replaced by SR 127. SR 127 was truncated to its present terminus at Dusty in 1979, allowing SR 26 to be extended east to Colfax.
A couple of recent and current construction projects are occurring along SR 26. One of which, involves illuminating the highway's intersection with B SE, which was finished in 2008, and Reynolds Road, to be done in 2009, west and east of Othello, respectively. Another project added a left turn lane at a dangerous intersection between SR 26 and South Thacker Road west of Othello. The most major of the recent projects include the addition and demolition of ramps at the I-90 interchange. Another minor project, a bridge fixing project, was completed in 2007, located northeast of Dusty and southwest of Colfax.
Collisions on the highway, blamed partly on Washington State University traffic, have prompted new initiatives to improve its safety. New passing lanes are scheduled to be constructed by 2025 as part of the statewide transportation package passed in 2015, but fatal collisions in the 2010s led to petitioning from students and families for accelerated safety projects.
Spur route.
SR 26 has a short spur route in Colfax that runs for , connecting the highway to the southbound lanes of US 195. The two-lane road crosses the Palouse River and merges with US 195 in an uncontrolled Y intersection at the north end of downtown Colfax. In its annual traffic counts, WSDOT measured a daily average of 3,200 vehicles using the spur route.


Akimiski Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary

The Akimiski Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary is a migratory bird sanctuary in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada. It is located on Akimiski Island within James Bay. The sanctuary, established by the Canadian government on 1 January 1941, has federal conservation status. Taking up the eastern two-thirds of the island, it is in overall size, including a marine area. It includes marine, intertidal, and subtidal components and is rated Category IV by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The coastal waters and wetlands are important feeding grounds for several varieties of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. These include Atlantic brant, Canada goose, Caspian tern, Hudsonian godwit, lesser snow goose, red knot, and semipalmated plover.
Among mammalians, ringed seals, polar bears, and beluga whales can be found in the area.
Other designations.
In addition to the migratory bird sanctuary designation, this area is an Important Bird Area, site #NU036. Most of the coastline has been designated as a key terrestrial habitat for migratory birds by the Canadian Wildlife Service.


Hemlock Overlook Regional Park

Hemlock Overlook Regional Park is a small multi-use park near Clifton, Virginia which also doubles as an Outdoor Education Center operated by Adventure Links. The facility offers a popular rope course for schools and other groups, focusing on team development. The rest of the park offers hilly woodlands and floodplain scenery and is a good place for hiking, horse riding and canoeing on the Bull Run river.
Park.
Hemlock Overlook is one of several parks lining Bull Run. Like the others, it is densely forested and full of hilly scenery. It covers only 400 acres and lacks such amenities as campgrounds and picnic areas. Hemlock Overlook is named after the grove of hemlock trees above the banks of the Bull Run in the northern section of the park.
At the northern edge of the park is the site of the Union Mills and the bridge crossing for the Orange and Alexandria Railroad over the Bull Run; both of these sites have high significance in the Battles of Bull Run. The site of a dam that supported the first hydroelectric power generation to Fairfax County is also on the Hemlock Overlook site.
A permanent orienteering course, built with the support of Quantico Orienteering Club, remains in the southern end of the park, below Yates Ford Road and Yates Ford Trail. The Bull Run-Occoquan Trail (blue trail) is maintained by the PATC. Both the Occoquan Watershed Coalition and the Hemlock Overlook Regional Park Task Force, HOTFORCE, are stakeholders working with the NVRPA to integrate the Park and its activities into the overall community setting in the area.
Rope course.
The 225-acre Outdoor Education Center occupies a small cluster of buildings near the park entrance. Those include four cabins with 96 beds, dining lodge and a bathhouse. The center offers team development courses, overnight retreats, summer camps, and corporate training workshops, that use a hands-on methodology to teach cooperation and communication through challenges which can be only solved as a team. One of the main attractions is their zip line. Its programs, are open to the public by reservation and serve 20,000-30,000 people a year.
From 1984 to 2009, Hemlock Overlook operated as university outdoor education campus, through a partnership between George Mason University and the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. In 2009, GMU ended its relationship with NVRPA, and the Park Authority engaged a new partner, Adventure Links, to operate the facility. Hemlock operations over its history included the management of Bull Run Marina and a summer camp (Camp Mason, then Camp Hemlock) on the Hemlock Overlook site. Directors over the 25 years were: Mike Freed, Warren Doyle, and Susan Johnson.


Southern Highroads Trail

The Southern Highroads Trail is a loop of scenic and historic highways in the Southeastern United States. The driving trail traverses 14 counties, four states, and four national forests, providing sightseers and passersby an array of culinary, hotel, shopping, and recreational options along the way.
Visitors can start at any point along the trail, and circle back to their starting point. In the process, they will visit parts of four southern states, cross the Appalachian Trail twice, and meander over the Eastern Continental Divide numerous times. They will alternately travel beside whitewater rivers or high atop mountains.
As travelers visit the communities beside the trail, they will see preserved settlements from the pioneer days and old homes, along with red brick courthouses. A firsthand view of what mountain life is like, both now and then, is readily available.
The trail visits four National Forests: Chattahoochee National Forest in GA, Nantahala National Forest in NC, Cherokee National Forest in TN, and Sumter National Forest in SC.
History.
Incorporated in 1992, this scenic driving trail is supported by local, state, and nationwide organizations to give travelers an opportunity to view selected scenic parts of the lower Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Mountain area. It was put together by an accumulation of country highways in the south that had significance in terms of history or natural beauty.
The Southern Highroads Trail is an important historical route that brings visitors face-to-face with the rich history and legends from the region's past. This was the homeland of the Cherokee Nation. The route encompasses the Chieftain's Trail which memorializes the Trail of Tears. Visitors can learn about the Cherokee Indians, and also the early settlers that came in search of gold, set up farms and made their homes here.
There are also many old railroad towns here, and some red brick courthouses that are the oldest in the United States, with many buildings being included on the National Historic Register. There are also many important Civil War battlefields in close proximity to the trail.
Roads.
The Southern Highroads Trail is pieced together by various Southeastern scenic highways that either run near or through the landscape of the Appalachian Trail.
Major landmarks.
Fires Creek National Wildlife Reserve


Singkil Barat Nature Reserve

The Singkil Barat Nature Reserve is a nature reserve found on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.
In this park you can meet a Sumatran tiger.


Marine Protected Areas in Scotland

In Scotland, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are areas of sea defined so as to protect to habitats, wildlife, geology, undersea landforms, historic shipwrecks, and to demonstrate sustainable management of the sea. As of December 2020, approximately 37% of Scotland's seas are covered by the Scottish MPA network, which comprises 244 sites in total.
Designation.
As of December 2020 Scotland's MPA network comprises 244 sites protected by a variety of different conservation designations, many of which are the same as those used on land, such as Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This figure includes four sites designated in December 2020: North-east Lewis; Shiant East Bank; Sea of the Hebrides; and the Southern Trench.
The legal framework for designating MPAs depends on the designation: for example SSSIs are designated under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. Where not designated under other conservation legislation MPAs are designated under one of two acts of parliament, depending on their location:
Sites are designated as MPAs under these acts for one of three purposes:
In addition to the statutory MPAs, five sites are recognised as forming part of the Scottish MPA network, being categorised as "other area based measures": such areas, although not specifically created for nature conservation purposes, are considered to contribute to the protection of marine biodiversity. The makeup of the network as of December 2020 is detailed in the table below:
Management.
The lead body for management of the MPAs is Marine Scotland. For nature conservation sites within territorial waters NatureScot is responsible for developing the network and providing scientific advice to Scottish Government on the selection of sites, and providing advice to Marine Scotland on management once sites are designated. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee fulfils this role for sites in offshore waters, and also has a coordinating role for nature conservation in all the UK's offshore waters. Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for historic MPAs.
Activities undertaken in an MPA can be managed through voluntary measures, or by implementation of Marine Conservation Orders or Inshore Fishing Orders. Management measures (such as restrictions on the type of fishing gear that can be used) may be in place for all or part of an MPA, and may only apply at certain times of year. Environmental groups have criticised the government for failing to enforce fishing rules around MPAs.
List of MPAs.
These tables list those MPAs not covered by other designations (i.e. excluding SACs, SPAs, and SSSIs etc.) as of December 2020.
Demonstration and Research MPA.
There is one Demonstration and Research MPA, in the waters surrounding Fair Isle. The MPA was designated on 9 November 2016. The aims of this MPA designation are defined as being:
Proposed NCMPAs.
Two further Historic MPAs are also proposed as of 2020, with an Historic Environment Scotland consultation exercise having closed on 27 November. The two proposed sites are:


Kyles of Bute

The Kyles of Bute () form a narrow sea channel that separates the northern end of the Isle of Bute from the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, on the Scottish mainland. The surrounding hillsides are roughly wooded, and overlooked by rocky tops and areas of moorland.
The Kyles are split into the East and West Kyles. The East Kyle () runs from Rothesay Bay north west up to the entrance to Loch Riddon. Here at the northern end of the East Kyle are the Burnt Islands and the island of Eilean Dubh. The West Kyle () runs from here southwest, past the village of Tighnabruaich out to the Sound of Bute. The area is a designated National Scenic Area.
The Kyles are reflected in the name of Tighnabruaich-based Shinty team Kyles Athletic.
Transport.
The narrowest strait is only some 300 m across and is spanned by the Calmac ferry from Rhubodach to Colintraive. The crossing takes only 5 minutes, and runs every half hour throughout the day, seven days a week. Since 1999 the service has been operated by , which formerly served on the route from Kyle of Lochalsh to the Isle of Skye. Due to her size relative to the short crossing the ferry normally sails with both ramps unfolded. As the crossing is so short the issue of whether the ferry should be replaced by a bridge has been discussed a number of times, for example by Highlands and Islands Enterprise in 1995.
The A8003 road runs above the West Kyle, reaching a height of 130 m just north of Tighnabruaich. On the mainland shore of the East Kyle the A886 road also takes a route above the shoreline, however the B866 road runs closer to the shore of Loch Riddon. The A and B roads meet just north of Colintraive, from where the route of the A886 continues over the ferry to run along the east shore of Bute to Rothesay.
Tourism.
A trip through the Kyles of Bute was a common feature of a trip "doon the watter" on a Clyde steamer during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As of 2018 the , the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world, still operates a summer season on the Clyde and continues to offer sailings through the Kyles. The Kyles are also very popular for yachting, and there are many sheltered anchorages.
The Cowal Way, a waymarked footpath between Tighnabruaich and Tarbet, follows the shoreline of the West Kyle, below the A8003. The West Island Way, a waymarked footpath on the Isle of Bute, follows the western shore of the East Kyle for a section of its northern loop: this section is along the A886. Both routes are officially designated as being among Scotland's Great Trails.
The Kyles form part of an area marketed for tourism purposes as "Argyll's Secret Coast".
Conservation.
The area is designated as the Kyles of Bute National Scenic Area, one of the forty such areas in Scotland, which are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development. The designated area covers 5739 ha in total, of which 4723 ha is on land, with a further 1016 ha being marine (i.e. below low tide level), and includes land on Bute and the Cowal peninsula, extending to take in the surroundings of Loch Riddon.
Bird species that can regularly be seen in the Kyles include eider ducks, oystercatchers and herons.
One of the Burnt Islands, Eilean Buidhe, is the site of the remains of a circular vitrified fort about 19.5 m in diameter. The remaining walls stand up to 1.5 m on the eastern side of the site. Further north, Eilean Dearg in Loch Riddon is the site of a Medieval castle that was destroyed by naval action during Argyll's Rising in 1685.
Ownership.
The eastern shores of the East Kyle forms the Ardentraive Estate, which is owned by the Mount Stuart Trust, which also owns Mount Stuart House, and most of the Isle of Bute (including the eastern shoreline of the West Kyle). The Mount Stuart Trust is still largely controlled by the family of the Marquess of Bute, the Crichton-Stuarts.
The Rhubodach estate on Bute, which includes the western shoreline of the East Kyle was formerly owner by actor and director Lord Attenborough. In August 2009 he placed estate up for sale, and a referendum carried out on 12 February 2010 showed 93% of islanders supported a plan land to buy the land for the community. In January 2011 he sold the estate, which consists mostly of forest for the reduced fee of £1.48 million. The Rhubodach estate is now owned by the Bute Community Land Company, a charitable company formed by residents living on the island. The main landowner on the western shoreline of the West Kyle is the Ardlamont Forest, which as of 2002 was owned by Loch Lomond Distillery. A viewpoint and indicator on the A8003 road overlooking the Kyles belongs to the National Trust for Scotland.


Alice Lake Provincial Park

Alice Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada.
History and conservation.
Alice Lake, was named for the wife of Charles Rose who settled in the district about 1888. It was a popular recreation spot for local residents even before the park was established in 1956. It has campsites, a vast day use area, and several hiking and mountain biking trails.
Small mammals and birds such as squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, Steller's jays, crows and osprey can often be seen in the park.
Location.
The park is located approximately 13 kilometres north of Squamish, British Columbia.
Size.
396 hectares


Clay Terrace

Clay Terrace is a community lifestyle center in Carmel, Indiana. Opened in 2004, it is managed by Washington Prime Group.
History.
Clay Terrace opened in 2004. It, Jefferson Pointe in Fort Wayne, and Metropolis in Plainfield were the first three lifestyle centers in Indiana. Among the first stores announced for it were Dick's Sporting Goods, Wild Oats Market and DSW. Aeropostale closed January 27, 2015, making the Clay Terrace location the only one in central Indiana to close. Delia's, New York & co., Paradise Bakery, and the Children's Place all closed around the same time.
Wild Oats became Whole Foods
 Old Navy was added in 2007, relocating from Merchants' Square. Circuit City closed in 2008. On June 17, 2014, it was announced that Simon Property Group spinoff Washington Prime had acquired Clay Terrace in addition to six other shopping centers.


Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (officially the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary) is an 842-square-mile (638-square-nautical-mile) federally protected marine sanctuary located at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay, between Cape Cod and Cape Ann. It is known as an excellent whale watching site, and is home to many other species of marine life.
Stellwagen Bank.
The sanctuary lies within Massachusetts Bay, east of Boston, east of Gloucester, and north of Provincetown, Massachusetts.
The heart of the sanctuary is Stellwagen Bank, an underwater plateau stretching north to south, and six miles (10 km) across at its widest, near the southern end. The bank is, on average, 100 to 120 feet (30 to 40 meters) below the surface, while surrounding waters to the west are over deep and to the northeast as deep as 600 feet (200 m).
The steep sides of the plateau cause deep-water currents to rise up when they hit the bank; this upwelling brings with it nutrients and minerals from the bottom, feeding the local ecosystem. Over 130 species from numerous classes of the animal kingdom call the bank home at least temporarily. Some such fish are the Atlantic cod, silver hake, yellow-tail flounder, blue-fin and yellow-fin tuna, striped bass, blue fish and numerous species of shark including the great white shark. Shellfish such as the American lobster, sea scallops, squid and ocean quahogs are also prevalent. Many marine birds call the bank home including gannets, shearwaters, storm petrels, fulmars, puffins and razorbills. Reptiles are even present, primarily being represented by the leatherback sea turtle. Possibly the most famous animals on Stellwagen Bank are the mammals. Five species of seals (harp seal, gray seal, harbor seal, hooded seal, and ringed seal), and numerous whale species swim in the waters of Stellwagen. Whale watchers can frequently see humpback whales, minke whales and fin whales. There are occasional sightings of one of the most critically endangered whale species, North Atlantic right whale. Several other whale species can also be seen here including the sperm whale, beluga, orca, pilot whale, White-beaked dolphin, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, harbor porpoise, blue whale, and sei whale.
History.
Stellwagen Bank owes much of its existence to the last major ice age. 25,000 years ago, the Laurentide Ice Sheet advanced over the eastern United States, pushing in front of it large amounts of earth and rocks. The southern margin of the glaciers formed local geographical features including Cape Cod and Stellwagen Bank. Originally, the bank was above water, but gradually subsided over time as the post-glacial rebound subsided.
In the 17th century it was observed that the area made for excellent fishing. Large cod and tuna were frequently caught in the area, and whaling ships caught many whales in the area.
In 1854, the US Navy sent Lieutenant Commander Henry Stellwagen to survey and map the area. It was known that there was a bank in the area, but its extent and shape were not known. Sounding could show ships how close they were to the dangerous waters of Boston Harbor, and so better maps were needed.
Prior to Stellwagen's survey, it was believed there were two small banks in the area: one just to the north of Cape Cod, and one in the middle of the entrance to Massachusetts Bay. Stellwagen showed that they were part of one large bank. As a result, the Navy named the bank after him in 1855.
On October 7, 1992, Congress designated the area a National Marine Sanctuary.
In 1999, the DeepWorker 2000 submersible was used to quantify the species of fish as well as the space resources within the Sanctuary. Remotely operated underwater vehicles were used from 1993 to 2003 to make additional observations of the fish within the Sanctuary and adjacent locations.
The Sanctuary's headquarters is located in Scituate, Massachusetts.


Knockadoon Head

Knockadoon Head is a headland and national nature reserve with Capel Island of approximately located in County Cork, Ireland. It is partly managed by the Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service, with areas under private ownership.
Features.
Capel Island and Knockadoon Head were legally protected as a national nature reserve by the Irish government in 1985. Most of the reserve, , is owned by the state, with a small part in private ownership . The reserve includes Capel Island, Knockadoon Head and the area of sea between.
Knockadoon Head has a signal tower, which was built in 1803 to warn of French invasion. It was abandoned in 1815. The reserve has a looped cliff walk.
In 2003, a Hume's Warbler was recorded at Knockadoon Head, the first record of this bird in Ireland.


Archipelago National Park

Archipelago National Park (, ) is a national park in Southwest Finland. It was established in 1983 and covers of land areas, a huge land area considering that the area mostly is outer archipelago with few islands even 1 km2 - and the big ones are inhabited and mostly privately owned and thus not part of the national park. The park's web pages give that number as non-qualified "area". It is part of the UNESCO biosphere reserves and received a PAN Parks certificate in 2007.
The park encompasses all state-owned land and water areas owned by the state within the borders of the cooperation area surrounding the park, which is more or less the entire outer archipelago of the Archipelago Sea on the eastern side of the Åland Islands and south of the Korpo, Nagu, Pargas and Kimitoön main islands. The Archipelago Sea Biosphere reserve consists of the national park's cooperation area and the rest of the islands in the Åboland archipelago only accessible by boat or ferry. These areas are mainly situated in Nagu, Korpo, Houtskär, Iniö, Hitis and southern Pargas.
There are considerable areas of traditional agricultural landscapes within the national park. One of the objectives of national park besides protecting nature is to protect the archipelago culture and different cultural landscapes. The cooperation area plays a great in this. The National park by itself encompasses about 2000 of the 8400 islets and skerries within the cooperation area. The larger islands are mainly owned by their inhabitants.
One may move around freely by boat in the National park, with the exception of some protected areas. Shuttle ships operate the inhabited islands and many entrepreneurs offer transportation by agreement.
Camping is allowed only in designated places (allowed on privately own lands in accordance with the freedom to roam), remembering to respect the domestic peace. Building campfires is allowed only in designated places, unless a force majeure situation arise. Fire-making is prohibited if a forest fire warning is in effect. One may pick berries and mushrooms. Mind roosting birds when landing on islets. Islets with many nesting birds should only be visited in autumn and winter. The Blue Mussel visitor center in Kasnäs, (Kimitoön) and the archipelago center in Korpoström (Korpo) offer information on the Archipelago Sea and the Archipelago National park. There are bus connections to both. There are nature trails on some of the islands. There is an underwater trail for divers on Stora Hästö in Korpo (and one in shallower water for snorkelers).
History.
Man settles in the Archipelago.
The archipelago of Southwest Finland has been populated since the neolithic (roughly 2000-1300 BCE). The rich natural resources attracted people to the post-glacial archipelago in the Stone Age and Bronze Age. The Baltic Sea was much more saline in those days, thus offering large catches of Atlantic cod among other fish. A large population of grey seal inhabited the area. The humans utilized the rich populations of seabirds as a source of eggs, meat and down. Because of the warmer climate, the conditions for small-scale agriculture and cattle herding were even better than nowadays.
Due to Post-glacial rebound the islands in the Archipelago Sea suitable for habitation have risen from the sea and inhabitants have moved farther out in the archipelago as large enough islands have surfaced. The ground still rises in the Archipelago Sea at a rate of approximately 3-4,2 mm per year. During the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, the islets of the present-day outer archipelago were 20–25 metres below the sea level. Then outer archipelago was located around the present main islands of Nagu, Korpo and Houtskär. Nowadays, the Stone Age settlement of Bötesberget in the municipality of Dragsfjärd, from 6000 BCE, is located 55 metres above the sea level, on forested upland. In the old days, the landscape surrounding its inhabitants was quite different from today: the settlement was situated on an isolated island in the middle of large open water areas.
Inside the actual cooperation area of Archipelago National Park, no Stone Age settlements have been found so far, but there are about forty burial mounds from the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Two fort islets from the prehistoric times have also been recognised in the archipelago, possibly dating back to the Iron Age. Trade, handcraft and navigation were practiced already in the early times in addition to the basic sources of livelihood. Sailing began in the whole of the Baltic Sea region latest in the Bronze Age. The southwestern archipelago became a part of the northern Baltic Sea region cultures, which had common means of livelihood, use of metals, and burial customs. The present National Park area became inhabited in the Iron Age (500 BCE-1150 CE). Many ancient remains of the Iron Age settlements have been found in the National Parks cooperation area. Pollen analysis has shown that the agriculture in the coast has been continuous since the Iron Age until these days. The most characteristic antiquities of the archipelago are relics from the historic times, from the end of the Iron Age until the 18th and 19th century. These immovable relics are also protected by the Antiquities Act.
The most impressive relics in the archipelago are the cairns. These cairns have been built during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age from stones which “a man is able to lift”. The size of these barrows varies, the diameter of some low cairns is a few metres, but some are tens of metres long and a couple of metres high. In the beginning of the Bronze Age, dead bodies were buried in these barrows, but later it became the custom to burn the dead body. In some of the graves, there are jewellery or weapons. In others, there are no artefacts, or they have not been preserved. The Finnish folksy name for these cairns translates literally as “Devil’s sauna stove”.
Burial mounds have been found in all parts of the archipelago, on islands of various size. However, most barrows have originally been built on larger islands, which have later become even bigger due to the land uplift. Often the burial sites have been chosen so that they stand out from the surrounding landscape, such as rocky hills or tops of the islands, with a view to the sea. The burial mounds in Archipelago National Park are low and quite small heaps of stones, which have been built near the highest place of the islands, but not on the very top. Some graves are near the shore, and some are organised in groups of several cairns. Most of the burial mounds in Southwestern Archipelago, if not all of them, are from the Iron Age. Inside the cooperation area of Archipelago National Park, most graves have been found on the large islands of Nötö and Hitis. Already in the Iron Age, these areas bristled with islands, from which it was not a long way to go fishing or seal hunting in the outer archipelago. This area, with its favourable natural conditions, may well have been inhabited already in the Iron Age.
The Swedes settle in the archipelago.
The Swedish settlers moved to the area from Svealand, southern Norrland and Götaland in the late 13th century, and therefore the population increased remarkably. About half of the villages in the current National Park cooperation area were inhabited already in the Middle Ages. The population in the archipelago increased until the mid 16th century, after which it started to decline rapidly. The natural resources could not support more people with the techniques of the time. The decline was caused not only by the decrease in available natural resources but also by wars and diseases. In the beginning of the 18th century the Great Northern War and the Black Death made the life more difficult in the archipelago.
Naturally, many archeological findings in the outer archipelago have something to do with fishing as a source of livelihood. These include “tomtning” remains from the temporary dwellings of the fishermen, tracks for dragging boats across the land, labyrinths, stone stoves, and marks carved onto rocks. “Tomtning” remains are related to overnight shelters or storage constructions built by our ancestors on their seasonal fishing trips. Because their fishing trips were long, shelters were needed in the harsh conditions of the archipelago. The rock walls of these temporary shelters were piled up surrounding level open floors, and they can still be seen today in many places. Sometimes natural formations, such as cliffs, were used as a part of a shelter.
In the municipality of Korpo, on the village island of Jurmo, are some of the most studied antiquities in Southwestern Archipelago: so called monk rings. Interpreting these four stone circles has been tried already in the 18th century, when it was suspected that they were made by monks from the village of Kökar. It has been found that Franciscans really lived on Kökar Island from the end of the 14th century to the 1530s. So it might well be the case that the monks built these stone rings on their fishing trips, for example. Why did they do so, is still not known. One interpretation is that they are remnants of a kind om "tomtning".
In the mid-19th century the life in the outer archipelago changed because the technical development made it easier to earn a living. New fishing methods, such as hook and drift nets, no longer required a joint effort from the whole village. Their deployment made it possible for people to live outside the villages. The new settlements led to fast population growth. In the beginning of the 20th century, the work opportunities in mainland and towns began to attract the people of the archipelago. The poorest crofter’s cottages were deserted first. However, the outer archipelago was still inhabited until the 1950s. Cows, horses and sheep stopped grazing the islands and former fields as a result of the emigration. This led to a gradual forestification of the former fields and meadows and to a decline in the state of the buildings in archipelago. Around the 1970s the population started to grow again as the town people found the “summer paradise”.
Fauna.
The fauna of the Archipelago National Park is extraordinary and well known due to research and regular follow-ups. Twenty-five species of mammals have been found. The most common ones are: common shrew, pygmy shrew, mountain hare, bank vole, red fox, raccoon dog, mink and moose. The numbers of grey seal have increased in recent years, the ringed seal has decreased on the other hand. The fish stock is grand and the most common species include baltic herring, european perch, northern pike, common roach, bream, viviparous eelpout, european flounder and fourhorn sculpin.
The National park also harbours a large number of birds. The number of species known to have nested in the national park amount to 132. The most numerous species are :mute swan, great cormorant, mallard, tufted duck, goosander, red-breasted merganser, eurasian oystercatcher, ruddy turnstone, common redshank, common sandpiper, common gull, great black-backed gull, european herring gull, Arctic tern, black guillemot, white wagtail, European rock pipit, meadow pipit, northern wheatear, thrush nightingale, common whitethroat, lesser whitethroat and hooded crow.
Less common but regular nesting species are horned grebe, greylag goose, barnacle goose, common shelduck, gadwall, northern shoveler, white-tailed eagle, black grouse, ringed plover, northern lapwing, eurasian woodcock, Arctic skua, lesser black-backed gull, caspian tern, common tern, razorbill, eurasian eagle-owl, icterine warbler, barred warbler and common raven. Rare or infrequent species in the park are among others: short-billed dunlin, ruff, little tern, common murre, long-eared owl, short-eared owl.
Removal of mink.
The removal of mink from the Archipelago National Park was initiated in the 1990s and many bird species have increased their numbers and experienced improved nesting success as a result. Out of the 22 species of archipelago birds studied, 14 showed an increase in numbers. Some species (tufted duck, velvet scoter, Arctic tern) increased greatly with some showing an increase to a lesser extent. Removal of mink was initiated in the Vänö archipelago in southern Dragsfjärd in 2006. The results show that the nesting success of some species increased greatly and rapidly.
Connections.
The main means of transportation in the Archipelago National Park are shuttle ships or boats. There is shuttle ship connection to all of the inhabited islands within the cooperation area. The islands of Holma, Jurmo and Berghamn are accessible by shuttle ship and national park services offered on the islands. The shuttle ship harbours at Prostvik and Pärnäs in Nagu and Kasnäs in Kimitoön are accessible by road and have bus connections. You can reach both the Archipelago visitor centre Blue Mussel and the Korpoström Archipelago centre by car.


Bug Landscape Park

Bug Landscape Park ("Nadbużański Park Krajobrazowy") is a protected area (Landscape Park) in east-central Poland, and one of over a hundred Polish Landscape Parks. The Park lies within Masovian Voivodeship, on the Bug River. It includes part of three Polish, historical regions: Kurpie, Masovia and Podlasie.
The Park covers an area of 741.36 square kilometres plus 395,35 square kilometres of protection zone. Within the Bug Landscape Park, fourteen nature reserves have been established with a further three planned. Included within those reserves are seven forests, three bird reserves, and two flower reserves. The name of the Bug River is derived from an old Slavic word for “wetland”.
Climate and wildlife.
Low-intensive human activity makes the park more natural and unique. The park includes a large variety of landscapes but the two most predominant are the forest complexes, composed mainly of pine, and Bug River valley. Flora of Bug Landscape Park counts about 1,300 species, among them there are 39 species of trees and 59 of shrubs. The park contains many protected plants, such as: "silene dichotoma", "saxifraga tridactylites", "medicago minima", Turk's cap lily, twinflower and the variety of willow known as "Salix starkeana"
The valley of Bug River with its wetlands provides the habitat to many endangered birds including the black stork, the common sandpiper, the common snipe, the Eurasian curlew, the grey heron, the ruff. Migrating birds use the park for feeding and rest.
The park also has 37 mammal species including beavers, moose and otters, as well as reptiles including European pond turtles, and "coronella austriaca" known as the smooth snake. Moreover, 12 species of amphibians and 29 species of fish can be found there.
Tourist and biodiversity interest.
Within the park, there are 251 monuments of nature primarily trees such as ashes, limes, oaks, pines. Other monuments include: a colony of ant-hills, a monadnock hill, a subterranean fungus site and a 3 km long avenue of oaks made up of 442 individual trees with diameters of up to 450 cm.
The populated areas of the park are composed mainly of villages and small cities with Sokołów Podlaski (pop. 18,000) being the largest. One of the unique characteristics of Bug Landscape Park is the continuing presence of Polish rural culture, notably traditional folk music and sculpture. Barns and hay stacks are a typical sight in the Bug River valley, along with historic wooden architecture, roadside crucifixes, old mills and small shrines scattered throughout the many towns and villages, where local fetes are celebrated, such as the Potato Day or Bread Festivals. The park also contains some palaces and stately houses as well as smaller manor houses such as those in Korczew, Starawieś and Sterdyń. There are some large churches in the area, e.g. in Kosów Lacki and Sokołów Podlaski. The area also includes monuments of Polish and regional history such as statues, museums, and tombs. One historically significant site is the Treblinka extermination camp, where the Nazis conducted an extermination program against Jews, Gypsies, and other groups considered deviant by the Nazi party.
The park contains a large number of hiking and cycling trails making it an attractive destination for angling and ecotourism. Canoeing and rafting are also popular.


Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park

The Northern Vosges Regional Natural Park (French: "Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord") is a protected area of woodland, wetland, farmland and historical sites in the region Grand Est in northeastern France. The area was officially designated as a regional natural park in 1976.
At its inauguration, the park covered a total area of , but it has since grown to .
The rich natural landscape has been added to the UNESCO list of international biosphere reserves.
Northern Vosges PNR does not include any of the Vosges Mountains but rather the foothills just north of them. No part of it lies in the department of Vosges but rather it spans two other departments, Bas-Rhin and Moselle.
Member communes.
The following communes are members of Northern Vosges PNR:
In Bas-Rhin:
In Moselle:


Central Market (Casablanca)

The Central Market (, ) in Casablanca, Morocco is a marketplace with historical and cultural significance. It is located on Muhammad V Boulevard, among the colonial architecture of the 20th century, facing the Central Market Tramway Station.
History.
The Central Market was designed by Pierre Bousquet, and construction was completed in 1917, on the site of the Casablanca Fair of 1915.
The Central Market was the most important marketplace in Casablanca's European "ville nouvelle".
The Moroccan nationalist resistance fighter Muhammad Zarqtuni bombed the Central Market on December 24, 1953, after French forces forced Sultan Muhammad VI into exile on August 20, 1953—which was Eid al-Adha.
Architecture.
The market is characterized by its Neo-Mauresque architectural style. Among its most prominent features is its large gateway, imitating styles of gates in Morocco's imperial cities: Marrakesh, Fes, Rabat, and Meknes.
Another feature of the market is the octagonal center cupola, under which different kinds of fresh seafood are sold, such as fish of the Atlantic Ocean, shark meat, oysters, etc. The daily catch is displayed around a circular walkway, as well in a central island where oysters from Dakhla are shucked on the spot for one-by-one consumption.
Flowers are also sold in decorated bouquets, as well as handicrafts such as woven reed baskets. There are also fossils and antiques, such as old black and white photographs and posters.
Produce is also sold, in addition to herbs, spices, and meat from butcher shops.
The market houses some restaurants as well, and is considered one of the most important lunch destinations for tourists and "Casawis" alike.
Access.
The Central Market Station on Line 1 of the Casablanca Tramway is directly in front of the Central Market's main entrance on Muhammad V Street.


Bat Cave and Cascade Caverns State Nature Preserves

Bat Cave and Cascade Caverns State Nature Preserves are two nature preserves totaling located within the boundaries of Carter Caves State Resort Park in Carter County, Kentucky, United States. Bat Cave was dedicated as part of the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves system on December 16, 1981, for the protection of the Indiana bat with wintering numbers estimated at 28,000. The Cascade Caverns preserve was included to protect two rare plant species in Kentucky, the mountain maple and the Canadian yew.


Vercors Regional Natural Park

The Vercors Regional Natural Park (French: "Parc naturel régional du Vercors") is a protected area of forested mountains in the Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France.
Geography.
Set upon a limestone plateau south of Grenoble, the park extends into the French Western Alps. It spans two departments, Drôme and Isère, and covers a total area of . The plateau's main elevation reaches while the eastern Alpine mountain ridge tops with Le Grand Veymont (2341m).
The Vercors area is peppered with caves. During World War II, it served as a safe and defensible position for the French Resistance: "Forteresse de la Résistance". The area now contains around three hundred monuments to the Resistance, including a memorial center and the preserved remains of a destroyed village.
In modern times, Vercors has become a popular tourist destination frequented for skiing, hiking and spelunking. Several small communes dot the landscape, supported principally by forestry, shepherding and tourism. The area was officially designated a regional natural park in 1970.
Member communes.
The Vercors parklands include the following communes:


Upper Swabian Baroque Route

The Upper Swabian Baroque Route ("Oberschwäbische Barockstraße") is a tourist theme route through Upper Swabia, following the themes of "nature, culture, baroque". The route has a length of about 500 km (approximately 310 miles). It was established in 1966, being one of the first theme routes in Germany. There is an extension to the route into Switzerland and Austria around Lake Constance.
Its logo depicts a yellow putto on a green background, putti being typical of the Baroque Era.
Origin.
After the end of the Thirty Years' War and its ravages in 1648, followed by the counter-reformation instigated by the Catholic Church, an explosion of building works took place in the region of Upper Swabia. Immigrants to depopulated areas within Upper Swabia contributed to an economic upturn, which made it possible even for the owners of the smallest villages to secure sufficient funds to restore, extend and enhance the already existing buildings in Baroque style. This included monasteries as well as secular buildings such as castles and commercial buildings. The result of this is today called Upper Swabian Baroque. It lasted from ca. 1650 until the French Revolution.
The nobility, whose territories were mostly of a small or only modest size, converted its dwelling places to Baroque style, utilising existing structures. Some new buildings were erected by the nobility, the result of which, however, often did not come close to the quality and extent of those erected by the clergy. This was due to the nobility's lack of financial means. The monasteries, on the other hand, did have larger funds at their disposal as their respective territories were considerably larger than those of secular lords which meant that they could employ more dependants for the constructions work under the rules of feudal obligations (socage). Also, the monks themselves were unpaid and some of the artistic works were carried out by monks themselves.
The re-organization of Europe under Napoleon at the beginning of the 19th century (also known as German Mediatisation), however, meant that the Imperial Abbeys, the Free Imperial Cities and the territories ruled by Imperial Knights ("Reichsritter") lost their independence and their income. Many buildings were converted into barracks, schools, psychiatric hospitals or even manufacturing sites.
Only in the 20th century, efforts have been made to save and restore these monuments of the past.
Survey.
Some of the main attractions on the route are:
Routes.
There are four routes of the Upper Swabian Baroque Route: the main route, the west route, the south route and the east route.
Main route.
The main route is circular, starting and terminating at Ulm. It passes the following villages and cities:
West route.
The West route starts at Riedlingen and terminates at Meersburg on Lake Constance. It passes the following villages and cities:
Riedlingen, Altheim, Heiligkreuztal, Ertingen, Herbertingen, Bad Saulgau, Sießen, Ostrach, Habsthal, Krauchenwies, Sigmaringen, Meßkirch, Kloster Wald, Pfullendorf, Heiligenberg-Betenbrunn, Weildorf, Salem Abbey, Überlingen, Birnau, Seefelden, Baitenhausen, Meersburg.
South route.
The south route leads around Lake Constance. It starts at Kressbronn am Bodensee, passing through Austria and Switzerland before terminating at Meersburg. It passes the following villages and cities:
Kressbronn am Bodensee, Schleinsee, Wasserburg, Lindau, Bregenz, Bildstein, Dornbirn, Hohenems, Altstätten, Trogen, St. Gallen, Arbon, Romanshorn, Münsterlingen, Kreuzlingen, Konstanz, Mainau, Meersburg.
East route.
The east route is the shortest route, starting at Rot an der Rot and terminating at Kißlegg, thereby partly extending into the Allgäu. It passes the following villages and cities:
Rot an der Rot, Berkheim, Bonlanden, Binnrot, Haslach, Tannheim, Buxheim (Swabia), Memmingen, Ottobeuren, Legau, Bad Grönenbach, Kronburg, Maria Steinbach, Legau, Frauenzell, Leutkirch im Allgäu, Rötsee, Kißlegg.


Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park

Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park, formerly the Piccaninnie Ponds National Park, is a protected area of located in southeastern South Australia near Mount Gambier.
Description.
The Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park is located in the south-east of South Australia in the gazetted locality of Wye on the continental coastline overlooking Discovery Bay about southeast of the state capital of Adelaide and south-east of the city of Mount Gambier.
The conservation park conserves a wetland fed by freshwater springs in a karst landscape.
It is close to the border with Victoria and is part of the Discovery Bay to Piccaninnie Ponds Important Bird Area, identified by BirdLife International as being of global significance for several bird species. It is a listed Ramsar site. The park contains a walking track through coastal woodland to a viewing platform overlooking the wetlands.
Recreational diving.
Piccaninnie Ponds is a popular site for both snorkelling and cave diving. In 1964–1965, prior to its proclamation as a national park in 1969, underwater explorer Valerie Taylor described the ponds as "one of the most beautiful sights in Australia" and said that the crystal clear water gave her a feeling of unhindered flight. It contains three main features of interest to cave divers. The ‘First Pond’ is an open depression about deep with a silt floor and vegetated fringe supporting much aquatic life. The ‘Chasm’ is a sinkhole with a depth of over , and the ‘Cathedral’ is an enclosed area with limestone formations and a depth of about . Underwater visibility is excellent and may exceed . Snorkelling and cave diving at Piccaninnie Ponds is by permit only.
Accidents.
Several divers have died while exploring the caves beneath Piccaninnie Ponds, in 1972, 1974 and 1984.
Flora and fauna.
The pond contains various species of native plants, freshwater fish, eels and shrimp.


U.S. Route 395 in California

U.S. Route 395 (US 395) is a United States Numbered Highway, stretching from Hesperia, California to the Canadian border in Laurier, Washington. The California portion of US 395 is a route which traverses from Interstate 15 (I-15) in Hesperia, north to the Oregon state line in Modoc County near Goose Lake. The route clips into Nevada, serving the cities Carson City and Reno, before returning to California.
Prior to truncation, US 395 served the metropolitan areas of San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino. The highway serves as a connection to the Los Angeles area for the communities of the Owens Valley, Mammoth Lakes and Mono Lake. The highway is used as an access route for both the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, and the lowest point in North America, Death Valley.
The corridor has been used since the California gold rush, and before numbering was known by several names including El Camino Sierra.
Route description.
The route of US 395 in California is split into two segments, as the highway exits and reenters California via Nevada. The southern segment crosses the Mojave Desert and Owens Valley and passes east of the Sierra Nevada. The northern segment also follows the Sierra Nevada and crosses the Modoc Plateau.
US 395 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System, and part of the National Highway System, a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration. US 395 is eligible to be included in the State Scenic Highway System, and is officially designated as a scenic highway by the California Department of Transportation from Fort Independence to Fort Springs Road in Inyo County, and from the Inyo–Mono county line to south of Walker. This designation means that there are substantial sections of highway passing through a "memorable landscape" with no "visual intrusions", where the potential designation has gained popular favor with the community.
Mojave Desert.
US 395 begins in Hesperia at a partial interchange with I-15 as it heads north. The road then enters Adelanto, on the western edge of Victorville. Victorville, founded by the Santa Fe Railroad to take advantage of water along the Mojave River, and for most of its history home to George Air Force Base, was the second fastest growing city in the United States from July 2006 to July 2007. Although US 395 was once a rural road passing to the side of these cities, with growth these cities are encroaching on the highway and changing its character from rural to suburban.
After leaving the Victorville area, the scenery changes as suburban neighborhoods disappear and the highway traverses the Mojave Desert. While crossing the desert, the route clips the northeastern corner of Edwards Air Force Base. Just past the base, the road intersects State Route 58 (SR 58) at Kramer Junction. This was formerly an at-grade intersection; however, SR 58 was rerouted onto a new freeway alignment on October 24, 2019.
After leaving Kramer Junction, US 395 passes the Kramer Junction Solar Electric Generating Station. It then crosses the Rand and El Paso Mountains, where the highway crosses into San Bernardino–Kern county line, near Johannesburg. While traversing these mountains, the route crosses a former Southern Pacific rail line, now owned by the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) that loosely follows the route of SR 14 through the Mojave. Though the railroad is abandoned north of Searles Station, US 395 parallels the old railroad grade from this point to Lone Pine.
On the other side of the mountains is Indian Wells Valley. US 395 passes between the cities of Ridgecrest and Inyokern, where US 395 Business is routed on South China Lake Boulevard.
US 395 follows the western boundary of the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, not far from Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons, where the Coso People created prolific rock art and traded with distant tribes using tools crafted of stone. The highway proceeds diagonally across the valley, until merging with SR 14. Prior to July 1, 1964, the part of SR 14 between I-5 and US 395 was part of US 6 that continued south to Long Beach.
Between Mojave and its junction with US 395, SR 14 follows the edge of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Formerly, US 6 and US 395 ran concurrently from this junction north to Bishop. US 395 follows the valleys along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada as the mountains gradually increase in altitude until reaching their peak at over near Lone Pine. After passing by three small lakes, Little Lake and North and South Haiwee Reservoirs, the highway enters the Owens Valley.
Owens Valley.
US 395 traverses the entire length of the Owens Valley, entering the valley near the former site of the Owens Lake. The valley, named for one of explorer John C. Fremont's guides, was primarily home to the Timbisha and Paiute peoples before European settlement. Formerly a fertile lake and valley, Owens Lake and the southern portion of the valley are now dry. Water from the valley is channeled for use by the City of Los Angeles, via the Los Angeles Aqueduct, which was constructed during what is commonly called the California Water Wars.
Along the shores of Owens Lake, the highway passes by Cartago and Olancha. Just north of the lake is Lone Pine. Lone Pine is noted as an access for both the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, and the lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin in Death Valley. Both Mount Whitney and the mountains surrounding Death Valley are visible from US 395. From Lone Pine to Bishop, the US 395 corridor loosely follows another abandoned rail line, the Carson and Colorado Railroad, although for most of this run the rail line runs on the eastern edge of the valley, while the road mostly runs on the west edge. The US 395 corridor from Lone Pine north to the Nevada state line is noted for a high concentration of natural hot springs leading to the area being known as the "hot springs jackpot".
Past Lone Pine, the highway passes by Manzanar National Historic Site, a concentration camp where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. The next community is Independence, the county seat of Inyo County and the home to the Eastern California Museum. Just north is the small Fort Independence Indian Reservation and the Tinemaha Reservoir. Nearby is where the Los Angeles Aqueduct is tapped from the Owens River; with more vegetation visible north of this point. In this portion of the valley is Big Pine and the Big Pine Indian Reservation. From here to Bishop the highway is overlapped with SR 168.
At the north end of the valley sits Bishop, the largest city in the Owens Valley. Bishop serves as a gateway for the recreation areas of the Sierra Nevada, including Mammoth Mountain. At the north end of Bishop is the former separation with, and current terminus of, US 6, a route which travels eastward across the US to Provincetown, Massachusetts on the east coast. This point is also where US 395 departs from former rail corridors, with the former Carson and Colorado grade following the modern US 6 corridor towards Hawthorne and Tonopah, Nevada.
The scenery changes dramatically past Bishop as the highway reaches the end of the valley and with a single ascent, gains over in elevation. From here to Gardnerville, the highway is routed across spur ranges of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Sierra Nevada.
US 395 scales the Sierra Nevada on a ridge between the canyons of the Owens River and Rock Creek. Sherwin Summit, at , is the first of five mountain passes crossed by US 395 in the Sierra Nevada. The highway enters Mono County midway up the ascent, which is known as the Sherwin Grade.
After cresting Sherwin Summit, the highway travels along the west shore of Crowley Lake. Crowley Lake is a reservoir for the Los Angeles aqueduct, which is supplied by the Owens River. However, US 395 does not resume following the river, instead cutting across the Long Valley Caldera to serve the ski resort areas of Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain via SR 203, after paralleling the runway of the Mammoth Yosemite Airport.
 past the junction leading to Mammoth, the highway crests the second summit, Deadman Summit, at . This summit separates the Owens River watershed from that of Mono Lake, a salt lake approximately three times as salty as the ocean.
Along the descent towards Mono Lake, the highway passes near the community of June Lake, a recreation area where there are several freshwater lakes famous for trout fishing, and the June Mountain Ski Area. The June Lake area is served from June Lake Junction by the June Lake Loop Road (SR 158).
Just before arriving at Mono Lake, US 395 has a brief concurrency with SR 120; the two routes separate at the southern end of Lee Vining. At this junction US 395 is from Tioga Pass, along SR 120, the highest paved through route in California, and the eastern boundary of Yosemite National Park.
Visible for miles, the highway finally passes Mono Lake, squeezed between the lake and the Sierra crest. The next geographic feature is Conway Summit. At in altitude, this is the highest point along US 395, and the highest point along a U.S. Highway in California. This Summit also separates the Mono Lake watershed from that of the East Walker River.
The highway descends Conway Summit via the tributaries of the East Walker River, heading towards Bridgeport and Bridgeport Reservoir. Along the descent the highway passes by Bodie, a ghost town which the state park system has preserved, including items still on the shelves in the abandoned stores.
The fourth summit crossed by US 395 in California is Devil's Gate Pass, elevation , which separates the East and West Walker Rivers. The winding descent from Devil's Gate follows the West Walker River, exiting near the towns of Walker and Coleville in the Antelope Valley, a few miles south of Topaz Lake which is on the California-Nevada State Line.
Nevada.
Topaz Lake is where US 395 leaves California, to serve the Reno and Carson City metropolitan areas. The highway runs for in Nevada. While in Nevada, the highway crosses one more pass, Simee Dimeh Summit, before exiting the mountains. The highway returns to follow the receding escarpment of the Sierra.
Honey Lake.
US 395 returns to California as a freeway, but is soon downgraded to a divided highway just past the state line. The road follows Long Valley Creek along the edge of the Sierra towards Honey Lake. From this point north, the highway follows a rail line originally built by the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway; the line is now owned by the Union Pacific Railroad.
The highway enters the state in a corner of Sierra County, entering Lassen County just later. A short segment in Lassen County is a freeway with one exit serving SR 70 at the Hallelujah Junction. This exit is numbered 8, even though it resides hundreds of miles from the origin of the highway; the exit number instead uses the distance from the point of re-entry to California. Though SR 70 does not directly serve any major cities, the highway is noted as an all-weather crossing of the Sierras. Just less than from Hallelujah Junction is Beckwourth Pass, the lowest pass in the Sierra, used by both SR 70 and the Feather River Route. SR 70 was at one time numbered U.S. Route 40 Alternate, using US 395 from this junction south to Reno to connect with the mainline US 40 (now I-80). Though using US 40 ALT and US 395 is a much longer route between Reno and Sacramento than mainline US-40 ( versus ), the alternate route was more likely to be open during winter storms than US 40, which crested the Sierra at Donner Pass.
The highway proceeds towards and around the west side of Honey Lake while en route to Susanville. Although Susanville is used as a control city, US 395 does not technically enter the city. In a T-intersection with SR 36 just before Susanville, US 395 makes a sharp turn avoiding the city, making a near complete loop around the Susanville Municipal Airport.
Modoc Plateau.
North of Susanville, the highway bends around Shaffer Mountain and crosses the Modoc Plateau. While en route, the highway serves the towns of Ravendale, Termo, and Madeline in Lassen County, as well as Likely in Modoc County. Here US 395 parallels the South Fork of the Pit River until the confluence with the north fork in Alturas. Past the confluence, the highway follows North Fork Pit River across Modoc County toward Goose Lake. The last junction in California is with SR 299, former U.S. Route 299, in Alturas. SR 299 can be used to travel west all the way to the western side of California at US 101 in Arcata, and east to Nevada State Route 8A at the Nevada state line. The two highways are briefly concurrent from Alturas to the XL Ranch Indian Reservation. US 395 travels in a north-northeast direction for the last in California, paralleling the east shore of Goose Lake just before crossing the Oregon state line at New Pine Creek, Oregon.
History.
Camino Sierra.
The Camino Sierra was a trail from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe loosely paralleling modern State Route 14, US 395, and State Route 89. The trail was first believed to be used by Jedediah Smith in 1826. The trail was in common use by prospectors passing through the area because of the California gold rush and Comstock Lode. Though this area was not directly affected by the gold and silver rushes, the Owens Valley was more fertile than the areas around the strikes in Nevada. Farmers and ranchers raised cattle and other goods to trade with the mining boom towns nearby. The town of Bishop was established to trade goods with the mining town of Aurora. By 1860, the Camino Sierra was an established trail appearing in maps and guides. After these mining rushes died down, the Camino Sierra saw a revival because of the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct beginning in 1908. The route was promoted for its scenic value by the Southern Pacific Railroad, as a side trip from its rail lines, as far back as 1912. By 1918, the Camino Sierra had been included in the Automobile Blue Book, an early road atlas of the United States.
Rail lines.
Both the northern and southern segments of the US 395 corridor were used by railroads built in the 1880s branching from the First Transcontinental Railroad in Nevada. Both lines were intended to connect the main Southern Pacific Railroad line in Nevada with other lines, but were never completed.
On May 20, 1880 the Carson and Colorado Railway was formed, with the intent of extending a rail line from the existing Virginia and Truckee Railroad at Hawthorne, Nevada through the Owens Valley towards the Colorado River. Though the rail line was never finished, it did bring economic development to the valley. The railroad was never completed past Keeler on the shores of Owens Lake. This line was acquired by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1900. There were plans to connect this narrow gauge line with SP's standard gauge lines in the area, however these plans never materialized and the narrow gauge line was scrapped in 1959.
The corridor for the northern segment was first used by the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway, a line also started in 1880, at Reno, to connect with the Great Northern Railway in Oregon. This line also was never completed, ending at Lakeview, Oregon. A portion of this line is still active and, through a series of acquisitions, the Union Pacific Railroad now owns this line. The portion from Reno to Hallelujah Junction is used as a connection between the Union Pacific's two main lines in northern California/Nevada, the Overland Route (First Transcontinental Railroad) and the Feather River Route.
Current designation.
As first commissioned in 1926, US 395 was a minor spur route of U.S. Route 195 connecting Spokane, Washington with Canada. During the 1930s, US 395 was extended from Spokane to San Diego, over the Camino Sierra, using several existing state routes. The extension first appeared on the Official Nevada Highway map in 1935 and its Californian equivalent in 1936. By 1937, US 6 had been extended to California, concurrent with US 395 between Bishop and Inyokern.
The new southern terminus of US 395 was at Pacific Highway (former US 101) in San Diego. Traveling north, US 395 traversed much of the path of modern SR 163 and I-15 to Poway Road, where it routed to the east along much of today's Pomerado Road to Lake Hodges, with various realignments over the years. Portions of Pomerado Road today are signed "Historic US 395". At Lake Hodges the highway crossed a now-replaced bridge to Escondido.
Past Escondido, the route passed through Fallbrook, using portions of what is now SR 78 and SR 76 before returning to I-15 near Temecula. This portion was straightened to the route of modern I-15 by 1960. Past Temecula, the route followed SR 79, SR 74, I-215, and I-15 until reaching the modern terminus in Hesperia. This part would also be straightened with the construction of what is now I-215. In 1969, the portion south of Hesperia was removed and assigned to other routes.
Over time, the road was paved, upgraded and straightened. Some parts are now built to freeway standards. Among the more notable upgrades, the Los Peñasquitos Creek Arch Bridge, along the portion of former US 395 now used by I-15, was built in 1949, and replaced in 1964, with a second span built in 1977.


Algonquin Commons

Algonquin Commons is an outdoor shopping mall, or lifestyle center, located along Randall Road in Algonquin, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. The mall is located in Kane County, Illinois, just south of the McHenry County line. The center includes over 50 retailers and restaurants and 600,000 total square feet. The tenants in the center are varied, from discount clothiers, to specialty gift shops, to popular national fashion chains, to local independent shops, to big-box retailers and upscale restaurants. It was built in 2004.
The Algonquin Commons provides Algonquin with 1,700 jobs and over $1 million in sales tax revenue. The Algonquin Commons was built by Jeffrey R. Anderson, the same developer who built the Geneva Commons, which is located in Geneva, Illinois. In early 2013, U.S. Bank filed to foreclose on Algonquin Commons after then-owner Inland Properties ceased payments. The property is now owned by McKinley.
The Commons is also notable for its chic, upscale appearance, including outdoor lighting, lush landscaping, sidewalks and brick pavers to connect the various buildings in the center, outdoor music, individually designed storefronts, benches, and a number of special events held throughout the year, including public art displays, celebrity guest appearances, summer concerts, the Touch-a-Truck event, and horse-drawn carriage rides during the holidays.
Stores and restaurants.
Algonquin Commons is anchored by Art Van Furniture, DSW Shoe Warehouse, Dick's Sporting Goods, Discovery Clothing Company, Half Price Books, Nordstrom Rack, Old Navy, Ross Dress for Less, Trader Joe's, and Ulta.
Additional retailers include 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment, Aéropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Ann Taylor Loft, Bath & Body Works, Carter's, Charlotte Russe, Charming Charlie, Claire's, Crazy 8, Express, GNC, Gymboree, Hallmark (Every Good Thing), Hollister Co., J. Jill, Jared the Galleria of Jewelry, JoS. A. Bank Clothiers, Justice, Lane Bryant, Mattress Firm, Maurices, New York & Company, Pacific Sunwear, Pottery Barn, Shoelace, Inc., Sylvan Learning Center, Taylor Stevens Salon & Spa, The Children's Place, The Tile Shop, Tilly's, Torrid, UBreakiFix, Victoria's Secret, White House Black Market, Yankee Candle Company, and Zales Jewelers.
Restaurants in the center include Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano, Bonefish Grill, Houlihan's, Jiang's Mongolian Grill, On the Border, Ta-Wan Thai Restaurant, and Thirsty Whale Bar & Grill.
Randall Crossing.
Located immediately adjacent to Algonquin Commons, but not technically part of the center, is a smaller retail center called Randall Crossing. It is located at the immediate southwest corner of Randall Road and County Line Road, in front of Ulta, Discovery Clothing, and Trader Joe's.
Randall Crossing includes Eye Boutique, Great Clips, Lumes Pancake House, Men's Wearhouse, Menchie's Frozen Yogurt, Revital Nails & Spa, and Tan 9.99.


Luray Caverns

Luray Caverns, originally called Luray Cave, is a cave just west of Luray, Virginia, United States, which has drawn many visitors since its discovery in 1878. The cavern system is generously adorned with speleothems such as columns, mud flows, stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and mirrored pools. The caverns are perhaps best known for the Great Stalacpipe Organ, a lithophone made from solenoid-fired strikers that tap stalactites of various sizes to produce tones similar to those of xylophones, tuning forks, or bells.
A Smithsonian Institution report of July 13 and 14, 1880, concluded: "[I]t is safe to say that there is probably no other cave in the world more completely and profusely decorated with stalactite and stalagmite ornamentation than that of Luray."
Description.
Visitors enter the cave via a path that curves downward through the caverns, eventually reaching Dream Lake, The Saracen's Tent, The Great Stalacpipe Organ and some large stalactites and stalagmites. The path proceeds to the Wishing Well and a war memorial honoring veterans from Page County. It then ascends to a small passage past the Fried Eggs rock formation and returns to ground level through a smaller passage to the entrance. The entire trek is long and can be completed in 45 minutes to 1 hour. Visitors can carry small pets on the cave tour, and leashed pets are permitted on the grounds outside the cave. The caverns now offer a step-free access. While this extended pathway will allow for wheelchair access, the caverns aren't advertised as handicap accessible.
History.
Discovery.
Luray Caverns was discovered on August 13, 1878, by five local men, including Andrew J. Campbell (a local tinsmith), William Campbell, John “Quint” Campbell, and local photographer Benton Stebbins. Their attention had been attracted by a protruding limestone outcrop and by a nearby sinkhole noted to have cool air issuing from it. Seeking a cavern, the men started to dig and, about four hours later, a hole was created for the smallest men (Andrew and Quint) to squeeze through, slide down a rope and explore by candlelight. The first column they saw was named the Washington Column, in honor of the first United States President. Upon entering the area called Skeleton's Gorge, bone fragments (among other artifacts) were found embedded in calcite. Other traces of previous human occupation included pieces of charcoal, flint, and human bone fragments embedded in stalagmite. A skeleton, thought to be that of a Native American girl, found in one of the chasms, was estimated, from the current rate of stalagmitic growth, to be not more than 500 years old. Her remains may have slipped into the caverns after her burial hole collapsed due to a sinkhole, although the real cause is unknown.
Litigation.
Sam Buracker of Luray owned the land on which the cavern entrance was found. Because of uncollected debts, a court-ordered auction of all his land was held on September 14, 1878. Andrew Campbell, William Campbell, and Benton Stebbins purchased the cave tract, but kept their discovery secret until after the sale. Because the true value of the property was not realized until after the purchase, legal wrangling ensued for the next two years with attempts to prove fraud and decide rightful ownership. In April 1881, the Supreme Court of Virginia nullified the purchase by the cave discoverers. William T. Biedler of Baltimore (Buracker's in-law and major creditor) then sold the property to The Luray Cave and Hotel Company, a subsidiary of the Shenandoah Railroad Company. (The SRC became the Norfolk and Western Railroad Company in April 1881.) David Kagery of Luray and George Marshall of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, purchased the property in July 1890 and in October of that year the tract was sold to the Valley Land and Improvement Company. Under bankruptcy proceedings in 1893, the property was bought by Luray Caverns Company, owned by J. Kemp Bartlett of Baltimore.
Despite the legal disputes, rumors of the caverns' impressive formations spread quickly. Professor Jerome J. Collins, the Arctic explorer, postponed his departure on an ill-fated North Pole expedition to visit the caverns. The Smithsonian Institution sent a delegation of nine scientists to investigate. The next edition of the "Encyclopædia Britannica" devoted an unprecedented page and a half to the cave's wonders and Alexander J. Brand, Jr., a correspondent for the "New York Times", was the first professional travel writer to visit and popularize the caverns.
Limair Sanatorium.
In 1901, the cool, supposedly pure air of Luray Caverns was forced through the rooms of the Limair Sanatorium, erected on the summit of Cave Hill by Colonel Theodore Clay Northcott, former president of the Luray Caverns Corporation. The Colonel billed the sanatorium as the first air-conditioned home in the United States. On the hottest day in summer, the interior of the house was kept at a cool and comfortable . By sinking a shaft in diameter down to a cavern chamber and installing a fan powered by a electric motor, Northcott's system could change out the air through the entire house about every four minutes. Tests made over successive years by means of culture media and sterile plates were considered to have demonstrated the "perfect bacteriologic purity" of the air, purportedly a benefit to those suffering various respiratory illnesses. This "purity" was explained by a natural filtration process with air drawn into the caverns through myriad rocky crevices, then further cleansing by air floating over the transparent springs and pools, the product finally being supplied to the inmates of the sanatorium. The "Limair" burned down in the early 1900s but was subsequently rebuilt as a brick building. The Luray Caverns Corporation, which was chartered by Northcott, purchased the caverns in February 1905 and continues to hold the property today.
Commercialization.
Portions of the caverns are open to the public and have long been electrically lighted. The registered number of visitors in 1906 was 18,000, but as of 2018, approximately 500,000 guests visit each year.
In 1974, the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior designated Luray Caverns as a National Natural Landmark.
Luray Caverns is home to a commercial rope course and hedge maze. The maze contains 1,500 dark American arborvitae which create a path for visitors. Three museums are also on site and included with the general admission. The Toy Town Junction Museum offers an array of vintage miniature trains, dolls, and other collectible toys on display. The Car and Carriage Caravan Museum features an impressive collection of over 140 items relating to early transportation including a Conestoga wagon and an 1892 Mercedes-Benz. The Luray Valley Museum & Shenandoah Heritage Village is home to a collection of historic Shenandoah Valley buildings from rustic 19th-century life along with many regional artifacts including a 1536 Zürich Bible and a patented dog-powered butter churn.
Geology.
The caverns are situated in the Shenandoah Valley, just to the west of the Blue Ridge of the Appalachian Mountains in Luray, Virginia. The valley extends northeast to southwest along the northwest side of the Blue Ridge. Cave Hill, above sea level, had long been an object of local interest on account of its pits and oval hollows or sinkholes (known as karst) through one of which the discoverers of Luray Caverns entered.
Luray Caverns does not date beyond the Tertiary period. The cave is developed in dolomites of the lower Beekmantown Dolomite (Lower Ordovician). At some period, niches and already formed chambers were completely filled with water, highly charged with acid, which then slowly began to eat away at much of the softer material composing much of the walls, ceilings and floors. The one particular area that shows this high level of water is Elfin Ramble where water marks of oscillation are highly visible on the ceiling.
The temperature inside the caverns is uniformly , comparable to that of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.
Speleothem formation.
As with other limestone or "solution" caves, formations at Luray Caverns result from a solution of calcium carbonate giving up some of its carbon dioxide, thus allowing a precipitation of lime to form. This precipitation begins as a thin deposit ring of crystallized calcite, but continues to collect, creating stalactites and other types of dripstone and flowstone. Formations at Luray Caverns are white in color if the calcium carbonate is in its pure form. Other colors reflect impurities in the calcite resulting from elements absorbed from the soil or rock layers: Reds and yellows due to iron and iron-stained clays; black from manganese dioxide; blues and greens from solutions of copper compounds. Luray Caverns remains an active cave where new formation deposits accumulate at the rate of about every 120 years.
Celebrated speleothems.
After the water had been mostly removed by a lowering in the water table, these eroded forms remained and growth began to take hold via stalactites, stalagmites, columns, etc. Some notable formations include the Leaning Column, undermined and tilting like the campanile of Pisa; The Great Stalacpipe Organ, a large shield formation, that was used from very early on as an instrument for a variety of folk and religious songs; and a vast bed of disintegrated carbonates left by the water in its retreat through the great space called the Elfin Ramble.
The cavern is yellow, brown or red because of water, chemicals and minerals. The new stalactites growing from the old, and made of hard carbonates that had already once been used, are usually white as snow though often pink or amber-colored. The Empress Column is a stalagmite high, rose-colored, and elaborately draped. The Double Column, named from Professors Henry and Baird, is made of two fluted pillars side by side, the one the other high, a mass of snowy alabaster. Several stalactites in Giant's Hall exceed in length. The Pluto's Ghost, a pillar, is a ghostly white.
The cascades are formations like foaming cataracts caught in mid-air and transformed into milk-white or amber alabaster. Brands Cascade is high and wide, and is a wax-like white.
Flowstone draperies are abundant throughout the cavern and one of the best examples is Saracen's Tent. The drapery formation can be found in all major rooms and ring like bells when struck heavily by the hand. Their origin and also that of certain so-called scarfs and blankets is from carbonates deposited by water trickling down a sloping and corrugated surface. Sixteen of these alabaster scarfs hang side by side in Hoveys Balcony, three white and fine as crape shawls, thirteen striated like agate with various shades of brown.
Streams and true springs are absent, but there are hundreds of basins, varying from in diameter, and from to in depth. The water in them contains carbonate of lime, which often forms concretions, called pearls, eggs, and snowballs, according to their size. On the fracture these spherical growths are found to be radiated in structure.
Calcite crystals line the sides and bottom of water-filled cavities. Variations of level at different periods are marked by rings, ridges and ruffled margins. These are strongly marked about Broaddus Lake and the curved ramparts of the Castles on the Rhine. Here also are polished stalagmites, a rich buff slashed with white, and others, like huge mushrooms, with a velvety coat of red, purple or olive-tinted crystals. In some of the smaller basins it sometimes happens that, when the excess of carbonate acid escapes rapidly, there is formed, besides the crystal bed below, a film above, shot like a sheet of ice across the surface. One pool wide is thus covered so as to show but a third of its surface.
The quantity of water in the cavern varies greatly at different seasons. Hence some stalactites have their tips under water long enough to allow tassels of crystals to grow on them, which, in a drier season, are again coated over with stalactitic matter; and thus singular distortions are occasioned. Contiguous stalactites are often inwrapped thus until they assume an almost globular form, through which by making a section the primary tubes appear. Contorted stalactites may be caused by lateral outgrowths of crystals growing from the side of an active stalactite, or to deflections caused by currents of air, or to the existence of a diminutive fungus peculiar to the locality and designated from its habitat "Mucor stalactitis".
The dimensions of the chambers included in Luray Caverns cannot be easily stated, due to the great irregularity of their outlines. There are several tiers of galleries, and the vertical depth from the highest to the lowest is .
Luray Cavern waters.
There is a spring of water called Dream Lake that has an almost mirror-like appearance. Stalactites are reflected in the water making them appear to be stalagmites. This illusion is often so convincing that people are unable to see the real bottom. It looks quite deep, as the stalactites are higher above the water, but at its deepest point the water is only around deep. The lake is connected to a spring that continues deeper into the caverns. The Wishing Well is a green pond with coins deep at the bottom. Like Dream Lake, the well also gives an illusion, however it is reversed. The pond looks deep but at its deepest point it is actually deep.


Evangeline Trail

The Evangeline Trail is a scenic roadway in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.
It is located in the western part of the province, bringing visitors to the Minas Basin, the Annapolis Valley and the Gulf of Maine. The route connects Mount Uniacke in Hants County with Yarmouth at the Bay Ferries terminal where ferries connect to Maine in the United States.
The route measures .
Name.
The route is named after the principal character in the epic poem "Evangeline" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The region from Yarmouth to Halifax via the Annapolis Valley was first connected by the Dominion Atlantic Railway, which is credited with instigating the province's nascent tourism industry during the early 20th century; the DAR was titled "The Land of Evangeline Route" and the Evangeline Trail pays homage to this transport predecessor.


Babine River Corridor Provincial Park

Babine River Corridor Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located to the north of Hazelton. The park was established by Order-in-Council in 1999 and is approximately 15,339 hectares in area.


Bolshekhekhtsirsky Nature Reserve

Bolshekhekhtsirsky Nature Reserve () (Big Khekhtsir) is a Russian 'zapovednik' (strict ecological reserve) covering and named for the Big Khekhtsir Ridge, about 20 km south of the city of Khabarovsk, in the Russian Far East. The area is noteworthy for its position - close to a city and relatively open to public hikers on certain trails - and for being an island of mountain-forest biodiversity surrounded by lower river floodplains. The reserve is situated in the Khabarovsk Krai. The reserve was created in 1963, and covers an area of .
Topography.
The Khetskir Ridge is an "island ridge" covered in coniferous forest, surrounded on all sides by low flatlands of the Amur River, which runs west-to-east to the north of the ridge, the lower reaches of the Ussuri River, which runs to the west of the reserve before meeting the Amur, and the Cirka River, which wraps around the ridge on its east, south and west sides. About 20 km of the reserve's western border faces China across the Ussuri River.
The ridge itself runs west-to-east for about 30 km, with an average height of 600–800 meters, and a peak height of 950 meters. The ridge is surrounded by medium height spurs of granite and gneiss foothills, reaching down to flat meadows and floodplains around the entire reserve.
Climate and ecoregion.
Bolshekhekhtsi is located in the "Amur meadow steppe" ecoregion. For the most part, this ecoregion is a low-lying fertile floodplain, with patches of deciduous subtaiga forests; the Khekhtsir Ridge rises about the characteristic terrain, producing many transition habitats that support high levels of biodiversity. Trees in Khekhetsirsky are generally protected from the frequent flooding of the plains.
The climate of Bolshekhekhtsi is "Humid continental climate, cool summer" (Köppen climate classification (Dfb)). This climate is characterized by large swings in temperature, both diurnally and seasonally, with mild summers and cold, snowy winters. In the middle altitudes of the Khekhtsirsky Ridge, the average frost-free growing period is about 150 days, which drops to a growing period of 90 days in the highest altitudes. Average annual precipitation at the middle elevations is 600–700 mm.
Flora and fauna.
91% of the reserve is forested. At the highest elevations, the main trees are fir and spruce. The middle altitudes are mixed deciduous forest stands with some aspen and oak. The floodplains are dominated larch, reeds, and sedge meadows. The terraces feature aspen groves and oak forests. The animals are those typical of the Sino-Himalayan and Siberian taiga. The main focus of scientific study on the reserve is seeking to understand the dynamics of plaint and animal communities in an isolated forest of the Amur River floodplains.
Biodiversity is very high: scientists on the reserve have recorded 1,017 species of vascular plants, 826 species of mushrooms, 293 of algae, 152 of lichen, and 211 species of moss.
Ecotourism.
The Reserve sponsors a nature museum for the public, and supports public use of a limited number of nature trails in small guided tours. The main public "ecological trail" is a 1-hour guided hike through the forest along the confluence of the Ussuri and the Amur. There are also guest facilities and a picnic area. On the eastern border (just outside the reserve) there is a public ski area. But the reserve's public areas are very limited. Most of the reserve is a strict nature reserve, and closed to the public. Scientists and those with 'environmental education' purposes can make arrangements with park management for research visits. The main office is in the City of Khabarovsk.


Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park

Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park is a provincial park located in the southeastern corner of British Columbia, Canada. The park was established by order-in-council on July 13, 1995 to protect the ecological integrity of a relatively narrow stretch of the Rocky Mountains in the southeastern corner of the province.
History and conservation.
The trails and passes of the Akamina-Kishinena were used for many years by the early people's and wildlife travelling between the Flathead Basin and the abundant Great Plains. For instance, the Kootenai aboriginal people travelled through South Kootenay Pass to reach the plains for trading and buffalo hunting.
Since 1917, conservationists have advocated for the preservation of the Flathead River watershed the southeastern corner of the province. The park would compliment and be worthy of adding to the adjacent Waterton Glacier International Peace Park.
In 1986, the region was designated a provincial Recreation Area under the "Park Act" and was proposed for full protection under the Protected Areas Strategy (PAS) and Commission of Resources and Environment (CORE) process. The recreation area was then upgraded to the status of a "Class A" provincial park on July 12, 1995.
Geography.
Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park encompasses of high peaks and broad forested valleys in the watershed of the Flathead River. The park is adjacent to the much larger Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta and Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana, which together form the Waterton Glacier International Peace Park. The summit of the Akamina Pass, on the border with Alberta, is the easternmost point in British Columbia.
Ecology.
The park preserves part of the habitat of the last self-sustaining grizzly bear population in the United States, as well as a winter range for goats and big horn sheep. Protected plant species include the rare Mimulus luteus (yellow monkey flower) and the rare Papaver pygmaeum (pigmy poppy) that are found nowhere else in BC.


West Side Freeway


Polissia Nature Reserve

Polissia Nature Reserve () is a protected nature reserve of Ukraine dedicated to the conservation and scientific study of representative woodland marshes of the Pinsk Marshes in the Polissia region. The reserve is in the administrative districts of Olevsk and Ovruch in Zhytomyr Oblast
Topography.
The reserve is located in lowlands between the Uborti and Bolotnisya Rivers, which flow into the Pripyat River. To the north is the border with Belarus, and to the west is Rivne Oblast. The territory is flat, and measures 21 km by 27 km. The relative impassibility of the swamps has protected wildlife in the area.
Climate and ecoregion.
The climate of the Polissia reserve is "Humid continental climate, warm summer" (Köppen climate classification (Dfb)). This climate is characterized by large seasonal temperature differentials and a warm summer (at least four months averaging over , but no month averaging over . In the reserve, average winter temperatures are , and in the summer.
The reserve is located in the "Central European mixed forests" ecoregion, a temperate hardwood forest covering much of northeastern Europe, from Germany to Russia.
Flora and fauna.
The dominant vegetation are pine forests (on sandy soils) and sphagnum bogs. In the mixed forests portions there are also birches and alder. In the bogs the peat layer may be up to 5 meters thick. 604 species of vascular plants have been recorded in the site, about half of which are representative of tundra or taiga floral communities that stretch to the north. There are three types of swamps in the reserve. Lowland swamps are fed by mineral-rich groundwater are characterized by sedges, cane, and mosses. Upland swamps are mostly fed by precipitation and occupy mineral-poor soils; they support cotton grass, cranberries, blueberries, and sphagnum moss. In between are transitional swamps with characteristics of both lowland and upland areas.
The animals of the reserve are mostly forest species, many of which are found in more northerly taiga - lynx, elk, white hare and owls. The can survive in the Polissia due to the wetness and humidity rather than temperature. Beavers are active in the reserve, impounding water in places. Wolves are also common.
Public use.
As a strict nature reserve, Polissia's primary purpose is protection of nature and scientific study. Public access is limited: mass recreation and construction of facilities is prohibited as are hunting and fishing. The public is invited to participate in group ecological excursions led by park staff, subject to prior appointment. There is a nature museum open to the public, and cultural and historical centers.