Life is not all river otters and coyote pups. Some organisms in these national parks simply give us the heebie-jeebies—justifiably or not. With Halloween a few days away, here’s our list of the scariest and grossest creatures. For the squeamish, turn away. For the stout-hearted, read on—if you dare.

Find fantastic gifts for the park lovers on your list while helping to support park programs.

How many times have I walked under the same trees and failed to look up, staring at my own two feet as I walk? Well today was different, someone told me that the oak trees of California are masting, and I wanted to see if it was true.

Every autumn, up to 19 species of birds of prey make their annual appearance over the Marin Headlands. With tens of thousands of raptors counted during the fall migration, it’s the largest flight of its kind in the western U.S.! Read on for hawk-watching tips from our Golden Gate Raptor Observatory program.

Why get up at darkness-o’clock to battle mall zombies during the holidays? At www.parksconservancy.org/store, you can shop in comfort and joy from your cozy couch. Get started with our 2013 Gift Guide—featuring a hand-picked selection of this season’s must-haves—and find something for all the park lovers on your list!

With the frequent and heavy rains, about a dozen coast redwoods have come down in recent months (winter of 2016-17) at Muir Woods. Learn what happens when a giant falls, how trail crews move a 10-ton redwood, and how the death of one tree gives life to so many other species.

“It has begun.” So begin the reflections of Laura Echávez, a Golden Gate Raptor Observatory intern, as she experiences her first fall migration from Hawk Hill. Discover how she draws parallels between her immigration story and the birds’ journey along the Pacific flyway.

It’s been “Arma-goat-don” for the weeds at Fort Mason’s East Black Point. This past month, a herd of the quirky, cloven-hoofed critters cleared the area of invasive vegetation. Learn where the goats came from, why they’ve been in our parks, and how you can carry on their work.

FOMO ALERT! For the young and young at heart, the parks are full of must-see spectacles and must-do activities this autumn. Check our list of the top eight park attractions this fall, and then fire up your social media apps and get those hashtags ready.

The partners of One Tam—the community initiative of the Tamalpais Lands Collaborative—launched a three-phased, three-year scientific research project to study the mountain's bats.