Emily Pennington, author of "Feral," speaks with "CBS Mornings Plus" to talk about her solo journey through America's national parks, and what it taught her about resilience, public lands, and finding peace in the wild.

Emily Pennington, writer and photographer, visited all 63 U.S. national parks and documented her experiences in her memoir, 'Feral.' She discussed the current challenges facing the parks, including significant staffing shortages and budget cuts, which have led to reduced services for visitors. Pennington emphasized the importance of being prepared and respectful when visiting, suggesting that travelers bring extra supplies and plan early visits to avoid crowds.

Pennington also reflected on the personal impact of her journey, describing how the parks provided a space for healing and emotional growth. She shared her favorite parks and offered recommendations for families, highlighting the enduring value of America's public lands.

What woman learned visiting every U.S. national park

And allow us to channel our friends at CBS Sunday Morning with a mini moment in nature. That is Grand Teton National Park, one of many parks Americans are visiting this summer, but some parks are feeling the strain of staffing shortages and budget cuts with potentially more to come. Writer and photographer Emily Pennington visited all 63 national parks and shares stories from her journey in her memoir, Fero, Losing Myself and Finding My Way in America's National Parks. And she joins us now to share some insider tips. Good morning. Good morning, it's great to be here. Good to have you. So we are entering the travel season now. It's gonna be very busy. You've reported on the impact of budget cuts, the shortages. It feels almost as if we are so far removed from what Teddy Roosevelt planned and intended for us with national parks, with the way that we behave now. Yeah, I mean, originally the national parks were literally set up to be for the benefit and the enjoyment of the American people. And right now, unfortunately, we're seeing an administration that's being a bit vindictive towards the national parks. Right now, the National Park Service has about 16% fewer full-time employees than they did just a year ago, and 39% fewer seasonal employees, which are the backbone of the summer operations of the national parks when they get really busy and they need extra restroom cleaning, gate operators, people working in different food and beverage operations. So yeah, it's a really staggering time for the parks right now. So it's gonna feel a little different possibly for tourists who wanna visit these parks this summer. What are your insider trips, having visited all of them, for anyone wanting to visit a park this summer with their family? What should they bring? What should they do? What should they keep in mind? Yeah, absolutely. Well, because there are a lot of staffing cuts and budget cuts as well to the National Park Service, I would say just be very, very aware of leaving no trace, making sure you bring extra, maybe toilet paper and hand sanitizer because the restrooms literally might not be cleaned as often as usual this year. Going early, like plan a cool sunrise hike or sunrise scenic drive. That way you're not impacting the gate during the very, very busy late morning, early afternoon hours, things like that. You know, I do encourage everyone to go back and read what Teddy Roosevelt wrote about why he was creating these national parks, and you should tell us and our viewers what drew you to them and what you found in visiting all 63. Yeah, you know, I fell in love with the parks in the middle of a breakup, of all things. I was dating someone who was a former Eagle Scout. He brought me on my first backpacking trip. And then of course, when that relationship ended about a year later, I found myself going to those same national parks to help heal my own broken heart. And so I feel like they're one of the few places in the entire world where we can feel these huge emotions like joy and sorrow and grief. And the natural landscape is magnificent enough to hold all of those kind of competing elements of the human experience. Girl, I have been there. I went on my own Eat, Pray, Love trip after a breakup. It is very healing. Do we have time for a lightning round control room? 20 seconds, okay. Lightning round, your favorite national park. Capitol Reef or Gates of the Arctic in Alaska. Sounds like you gave us two, but I'll take it. Your most breathtaking view at a national park. I'm a big fan of anything in the Yosemite Valley, but I'm also gonna say the Canyon Overlook Trail in Zion. Best national park for families. I really like Rocky Mountain. I live in Colorado now. And so, you know, Rocky Mountain's got mountains, great scenic drives, lots of little short trails too that kids could do. Perfect. All right, that was very lightning. Thank you so much. Stanley Pennington.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv will do "anything" to advance EU accession talks. Zelenskyy spoke alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine will do 'anything' to advance EU accession talks: Zelenskyy

President Donald Trump said Washington will start sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what tariff rates they will face on imports to the United States, a clear shift from earlier pledges to strike scores of individual deals.

Washington

Global Tariffs

Trump: Letters telling countries their tariff rate going out Friday

Indonesian rescuers on Thursday (July 3) temporarily halted a search for 30 people still missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the island of Bali with the loss of six lives, the national search and rescue agency said.

Gilimanuk

Indonesia suspends search for 30 missing after ferry sinks near Bali

After marathon debate sessions in the Senate and House, President Donald Trump’s budget bill passed in the House. Republicans secured the biggest win of Trump’s presidency.

Trump’s landmark ‘big, beautiful bill’ narrowly passes U.S. House

Florida says the first group of migrant detainees have arrived at the new immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

Ochopee

First group of detainees arrive at "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida says

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday (July 3) that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he plans to hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. CBS News White House reporter Willie James Inman has more.

Trump speaks with Putin, plans call with Zelenskyy

CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez reports on a lawsuit from lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia alleging he suffered “torture and mistreatment” after he was wrongfully deported and held in El Salvador’s notorious mega prison.

Tecoluca

Kilmar Abrego Garcia claims he was tortured in El Salvadoran prison

The Kremlin welcomed the development, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming it proves Western arsenals are being depleted and predicting that less aid will hasten the end of the conflict.

U.S. pauses military aid to Ukraine over depleted weapons stockpile

Two contractors employed by UG Solutions spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were revealing their employers’ internal operations.

Jerusalem

U.S. contractors say live ammo used at Gaza aid distribution site

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for hours on the House floor about potential impacts of President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" that Republicans are looking to pass before July 4. Following debate, the House is set for a final vote on the massive budget bill.

House debates Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' ahead of final vote

CBS News political contributor Caroline Polisi joins "CBS Mornings" to break down the jury's verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial and the judge's decision to deny bail for the music mogul ahead of his sentencing.

Manhattan

Sean "Diddy" Combs denied bail after split verdict

Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota has died aged 28, just weeks after marrying his childhood sweetheart. The footballer passed away in a car crash in northern Spain.

Madrid

Liverpool soccer player dies in car crash 10 days after wedding

The Pentagon said that U.S. strikes 10 days ago had degraded Iran's nuclear program by up to two years, suggesting the U.S. military operation likely achieved its goals despite a far more cautious initial assessment that leaked to the public.

Tehran

Iran Strikes

Iran nuclear program degraded by up to two years: Pentagon

Days before his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama announced the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit he founded, will have the sole authority to recognize his future reincarnation, but China insists it will choose the successor of the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Lhasa

China rejects Dalai Lama’s succession plan

The U.S. Congress inched towards approving President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, despite attempts by Democrats to stop it. The bill is Trump’s signature legislation which includes massive spending increases on the military and immigration enforcement while slashing social programs.

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill nears approval

Sean (Diddy) Combs was found guilty on prostitution-related charges, but was acquitted on more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking giving him a maximum sentence of 20 years. But the courtroom victory was subdued following a judge’s ruling to deny him bail.

New York

Diddy denied bail, avoids life in prison

President Trump says Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, but it remains unclear if Hamas will accept the terms. CBS News senior foreign correspondent Debora Patta has more.

Trump says Israel has agreed to Gaza ceasefire conditions

Bryan Kohberger changed his plea to guilty Wednesday for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. CBS News national correspondent Carter Evans has more on the case.

Boise

New details revealed as Kohberger pleads guilty for 2022 Idaho murders

The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down a state abortion law that was adopted in 1849 in a 4-3 landmark decision. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul reports.

Madison

Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down 176-year-old state abortion ban

Macron and Putin held regular discussions around the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Macron visiting Putin in Russia in February 2022, but dialogue eventually stalled.

Paris

Macron held 'substantial' phone call with Putin

President Trump toured “Alligator Alcatraz,” a migrant detention center he teamed up with Ron DeSantis to build in the Everglades.

Everglades

Protesters gather around ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as President Trump visits

Jurors in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal criminal trial said they have reached a verdict on four of the five counts, but they cannot reach a verdict on Count 1, which is racketeering conspiracy. The judge has instructed the jury to keep deliberating. Deliberations will resume Wednesday (July 2).

Jury reaches partial verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs case

The U.S. Senate passed the Republicans' reconciliation bill on Tuesday (July 1) after more than 24 hours of marathon voting on amendments. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote.

U.S. Senate passes Trump's "big, beautiful bill"

The new order does not rescind existing sanctions on ousted longtime President Bashar al-Assad, his top aides, officials and family members who are accused of having committed war crimes and human rights violations against Syrian civilians.

Trump signs executive order lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria

Former criminology graduate student Bryan Kohberger has agreed to plead guilty to killing four Idaho college students in 2022, a move that would spare him the death penalty under a deal with prosecutors, ABC News reported on Monday (June 30).

Moscow

Suspect in murders of four Idaho college students to plead guilty

Thailand's Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, adding to mounting pressure on a government fighting for survival on multiple fronts.

Bangkok

Thai court suspends PM from duty pending case seeking her dismissal

Israeli strikes killed at least 60 people across Gaza on June 30 in some of the heaviest attacks in weeks as Israeli officials were due in Washington for a new ceasefire push by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Israel strikes pound Gaza, killing 60, ahead of U.S. talks

U.S. President Donald Trump says he's not planning to extend the pause on global tariffs set to expire on July 9. Brian Schwartz, reporter for the Wall Street Journal, joins CBS News to discuss.

Trump says he's not planning to extend July 9 global tariff deadline

The jury has informed the judge in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial that they have concerns about one juror's ability to follow the court's instructions. Deliberations in the trial are underway.

Jury in Sean "Diddy" Combs trial sends note to judge

Jury deliberations are set to begin in the Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking and racketeering trial. CBS News' Katrina Kaufman has the latest updates.