Flora Gets

The Baroque Joanina library is home to 70,000 volumes—and a colony of bats. The bug-eating creatures have done their part to keep the collection free from pests since at least the 19th century, and librarians there have done their part to accommodate them. To catch a glimpse, try visiting just before closing time on a rainy afternoon.

A man shares a quiet moment with his sons in a home that was gutted by Hurricane Katrina. This image was shot as part of National Geographic’s coverage of post-Katrina New Orleans in 2007.

Glacier’s fabled Highline Trail from Logan Pass Visitor Center to The Loop on Going-to-the-Sun Road embodies all the wild, almost treeless glory of the park’s high country—soaring peaks and ostentatious wildflowers, plus the possibility of spotting mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and bears. (Be sure to maintain a safe distance between you and the critters.) Although the hike follows the course of the Continental Divide, it’s surprisingly easy, mainly because it remains a merciful 2,000 feet beneath the Divide’s serrated summits (and, thanks to the park shuttle, you don’t have to retrace your steps). Midway, take the 0.9-mile Grinnell Glacier Overlook Spur for a high view of the rapidly retreating glacier. Then take a break at historic backcountry Granite Park Chalet before dropping steeply down to The Loop trailhead on Going-to-the-Sun Road for a shuttle ride back.