BUSINESS
Hidden in
plain sight
Places you know,
places you’ve never
imagined
BY JULIE P. HEIZER,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,
NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM OFFICE
MULTIPLE U.S. FEDERAL AGENCIES and
their partners take care of the largest
expanse of public lands and waterways
within the United States, and they work
hard to provide fresh information about
visitor destinations and experiences. For
many international and domestic visi-
tors, these spaces represent new, excit-
ing and unexplored opportunities.
Visitors to public lands and water
navigate these destinations on foot or
by mountain bike, raft, car, canoe or
kayak. And others seek underground
and underwater adventures via caving
and diving. These breathtaking land and
water scenes are always a photographer’s
delight, and their extraordinary cultural
and heritage appeal is equally compelling.
Here are some destination ideas and
online resources to help you and your
travelers explore the United States and
find their next newest adventure.
The Bureau of Land Management/
Department of the Interior
BLM manages more than 245 million
acres of public land and waters that offer
breathtaking landscapes from coast to
coast. If there is such a thing as “clas-
sic” Western American landscapes, they
likely lie within the realm of BLM, which
manages more fish, wildlife and plant
habitat than anyone in the United States.
Whether you want a slow scenic
cruise or an extreme adventure, BLM
offers one-of-a-kind experiences with
stunning views. Explore those land-
scapes, one story at a time: bit.ly/2t6fV2i.
Few realize that more than one tenth
of BLM lands and waters are part of a rel-
atively young conservation system known
as the National Conservation Lands
(on.doi.gov/2u5OGsY), most of which are
open to hunting and fishing. See National
Geographic’s National Conservation
Lands 15th-anniversary map: on.doi.
gov/2sXKzjd. These lands and waters are
among America’s best-kept secrets.
Groups that explore by bike can
check out BLM’s top 20 mountain bik-
ing locations and interactive trail
maps, developed in partnership with
the International Mountain Biking
Association: on.doi.gov/2tACOOP.
BLM preserves our past by managing a
tremendous number and wide diversity of
cultural heritage resources. You can visit
BLM’s Cultural Heritage and Paleontology
photo album and see extraordinary pho-
tos, such as the ancient reptile track from
Prehistoric Trackways National Monument
in New Mexico. Scroll over each photo
to find its location: bit.ly/2uJvqiL.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/
Department of the Interior
USFWS manages a Wildlife Refuge
System that offers unique visiting,
viewing and learning opportunities
focused on wildlife and their habitats.
For itinerary ideas, maps, a state-by-
state list of wildlife refuges, an events
calendar, and information about spe-
cific activities, such as birding, fish-
ing, trails, photography and coastal
resources go to fws.gov/refuges.
Visitors who enjoy public
lands and waters managed by
the U.S. Forest Service can
find more than 150,000 miles
recreation sites; 57,000 miles
of streams; 122 alpine ski areas;
and 338,000 heritage sites.
A campsite beside the
Rio Grande in New Mexico
12
August/September 2017
of trails; 10,000 developed