Jeff Goulden Mountain Pictures, Images and Stock Photos

Dallas Peak at 13,815' above sea level is a rock summit in the San Juan mountains of southern Colorado near the Continental Divide. The wide-open landscape is surrounded by many peaks approaching 14,000'. This photograph of a young woman hiker and her dog was taken from the high meadows above Blue Lake in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness near Ridgway, Colorado, USA.

Zion Canyon is a unique and different experience than the Grand Canyon. At Zion, you are standing at the bottom looking up where at the Grand Canyon you are at the top looking down. Zion Canyon is mostly made up of sedimentary rocks, bits and pieces of older rocks that have been deposited in layers after much weathering and erosion. These rock layers tell stories of an ancient ecosystem very different from what Zion looks like today. About 110 – 200 million years ago Zion and the Colorado Plateau were near sea level and were close to the equator. Since then they have been uplifted and eroded to form the scenery we see today. Zion Canyon has had a 10,000-year history of human habitation. Most of this history was not recorded and has been interpreted by archeologists and anthropologist from clues left behind. Archeologists have identified sites and artifacts from the Archaic, Anasazi, Fremont and Southern Paiute cultures. Mormon pioneers settled in the area and began farming in the 1850s. Today, the descendants of both the Paiute and Mormons still live in the area. On November 19, 1919 Zion Canyon was established as a national park. Like a lot of public land, the Zion area benefited from infrastructure work done during the Great Depression of the 1930’s by government sponsored organizations like the Civil Works Administration (CWA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). During their nine years at Zion the CWA and CCC built trails, parking areas, campgrounds, buildings, fought fires and reduced flooding of the Virgin River. This view of the red rocks of Zion Canyon was photographed from the Emerald Pools Trail in Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah, USA.

The Brothers, at 6842' above sea level, are a pair of prominent peaks in the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. This picture was taken at sunset from Annas Bay near the town of Union on Hood Canal.

Mount Rainier at 14,410' is the highest peak in the Cascade Range. This image was photographed from the beautiful Paradise Meadows at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State. The image shows the meadow in full bloom with aster, lupine, bistort and other wildflowers.

A young woman hiker and her companion dog look out over the San Juan Mountains from 12,000' Columbine Lake Pass in the San Juan National Forest near Silverton, Colorado, USA.

The Soldiers Chapel is a non-denominational memorial chapel dedicated in 1955 by the Nelson Story family. It was built in tribute to a fallen member of the 163rd Infantry Regiment which was part of the Montana National Guard during World War II. The Soldiers Chapel is located in Big Sky, Montana, USA.

On May 18, 1980 Mount Saint Helens violently erupted, and lost much of its upper flanks, shown here covered in snow. This rare picture was taken in 1973. At the time, the mountain was part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington State. It has since received recognition as a national monument.

This woman hiker is looking down on Lower Grinnell Lake while hiking the Grinnell Glacier Trail in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.

The San Francisco Peaks are the remnants of an ancient volcano that erupted millions of years ago, shattering a large mountain and leaving a large crater and surrounding peaks. The tallest of these are Humphreys at 12,637 feet and Agassiz at 12,356 feet. This picture of the snow-capped peaks reflected in a pond was taken from Kachina Wetlands in Kachina Village, Arizona, USA.

Mount Elden and Little Elden are named for John Elden, one of the region's earliest Anglo settlers. Elden and his family established a homestead on the mountain's lower slopes and, during the late 19th century, grazed sheep on the open grasslands below the mountain. The mountain's exposed, rocky slopes are a dominant feature from almost any part of the surrounding area. Despite its rugged appearance and steep relief, the mountain is accessible via an extensive road and trail system. Little Elden was photographed from the Arizona Trail as it passes through the upper meadow above Sandy Seep in Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

The Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is one of the iconic plants of the Sonoran Desert in Southern Arizona and Western Sonora, Mexico. These plants are large cacti that develop branches as they grow and mature. The branches generally bend upward but not always. The fluted trunks and branches of the saguaro are covered with protective spines. In the late spring the plant develops white flowers and red fruit forms in the summer. Saguaros are found only in the Sonoran Desert. To thrive they need water and the correct temperature. At higher elevations, the cold weather and frost can kill the saguaro. The Sonoran Desert experiences monsoon rains during July and August. This is when the saguaro obtains the moisture it needs to survive and thrive. These saguaro were found at McDowell Mountain Regional Park near Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.

The Blacktail Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) lives on the edge of the forest, as the dark interior lacks the underbrush and grasses the deer prefers as food, and completely open areas lack the hiding spots and cover it prefers for harsh weather. Deer are most often seen grazing in the early morning and evening when the temperature is cooler. This young blacktail buck was photographed on Hurricane Hill in Olympic National Park near Port Angeles, Washington State, USA.

The Mexican Jay (Aphelocoma wollweberi) is a New World jay native to the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, and Central Plateau of Mexico. It reaches north to eastern Arizona, western New Mexico and western Texas in the United States. Its preferred habitat is montane pine-oak forest. This jay was photographed perched on a rock near the Organ Pipe Formation at Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona, USA.

The historic Lubec barn was originally built in 1926 at the Lubec Ranger Station about 7 miles south of East Glacier. In the summer of 1977, the barn was taken apart and moved as part of an historical restoration project. The disassembled barn was transported to and reassembled piece-by-piece at the Saint Mary Ranger Station in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.

Many people identify the typical desert as a vast area covered by sand dunes. That may be true in some parts of the world but in the Mojave, less than one percent of the desert is covered with sand dunes. In order for sand dunes to exist there has to be a source of sand. Also there needs to be winds to move the sands and a place for the sand to collect. The eroded canyons and washes of Death Valley National Park in California provide plenty of sand. The wind seems to blow frequently here, especially in the springtime, and there are a few areas where the sand is trapped by geographic features such as mountains. Mesquite Flats near Stovepipe Wells is one such place. This sunset picture of the sand dunes and the Grapevine Mountains was taken after a winter storm had passed.

The Brothers, at 6842' above sea level, are a pair of prominent peaks in the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. This picture was taken at sunset from Annas Bay near the town of Union on Hood Canal.

The San Francisco Peaks are actually the remnants of an ancient volcano. Millions of years ago a large mountain was shattered by a powerful explosion which left a large crater and surrounding peaks. Inside the now quiet caldera, known as the Inner Basin, a lush alpine environment has blurred evidence of that cataclysmic event. Here, extensive stands of aspens cover the steep slopes of the old caldera, coloring them solid gold in early fall. The Inner Basin is in Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

At 14,410' above sea level, Mount Rainier dominates the landscape of the Puget Sound region. Mount Rainier is the highest point in Washington State, and is also the most glaciated mountain in the continental United States. This picture of a housing development near the base of Mount Rainier was taken from Edgewood, Washington State, USA.

The landscapes and seascapes of Puget Sound are a constant source of inspiration for photographers. This picture of a tranquil Puget Sound reflecting the puffy clouds and blue sky was photographed from Penrose Point State Park, Washington State, USA.

Lake McDonald is 10 miles long and over a mile wide making it the largest lake in Glacier National Park. It fills a deep valley formed by erosion and glacial activity. Lake McDonald is on the west side of the Continental Divide. The Going-to-the-Sun Road parallels the lake along its southern shoreline. The lake was photographed from Lake McDonald Lodge in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.

In July of 2019 the Museum Fire of Northern Arizona burned 1,961 acres of Ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forest. This was caused by a forest-thinning project which was originally undertaken to help prevent devastating wildfires. The fire was started from a piece of heavy equipment striking a rock and sparking the blaze. Nearby neighborhoods were forced to evacuate. According to the National Forest Service, the fire cost $9 million before it was brought under control. This section of burned trees was photographed from the Sunset Trail in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

The Continental Divide is the principal hydrological divide of the Americas. The Continental Divide extends along the Rocky Mountains and Andes, and separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those that drain into the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Mounts Cannon and Oberlin are two high peaks along the Continental Divide. This view was photographed from Big Bend on the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.

The Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea Gigantea) is one of the iconic plants of the Sonoran Desert in Southern Arizona and Western Sonora, Mexico. These plants are large cacti that develop branches as they grow and mature. The branches generally bend upward but not always. The fluted trunks and branches of the saguaro are covered with protective spines. In the late spring the plant develops white flowers and red fruit forms in the summer. Saguaros are found only in the Sonoran Desert. To thrive they need water and the correct temperature. At higher elevations, the cold weather and frost can kill the saguaro. The Sonoran Desert experiences monsoon rains during July and August. This is when the saguaro obtains the moisture it needs to survive and thrive. These saguaro were found at Gates Pass in Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Arizona, USA.

The Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) gets its name from the way the leaves quake in the wind. The aspens grow in large colonies, often starting from a single seedling and spreading underground only to sprout another tree nearby. For this reason, it is considered to be one of the largest single organisms in nature. During the spring and summer, the aspens use sunlight and chlorophyll to create food necessary for the tree’s growth. In the fall, as the days get shorter and colder, the naturally green chlorophyll breaks down and the leaves stop producing food. Other pigments are now visible, causing the leaves to take on beautiful orange and gold colors. These colors can vary from year to year depending on weather conditions. For instance, when autumn is warm and rainy, the leaves are less colorful. This fall scene of gold colored aspens was photographed at Hart Prairie in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA. Kendrick Peak (10,423 feet) is in the background.

The Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) is a North American sheep named for its large curled horns. An adult ram can weigh up to 300 lb and the horns alone can weigh up to 30 lb. This big old ram with its broken-off horns was photographed on the Grinnell Glacier Trail in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.

At 14,410' above sea level, Mount Rainier dominates the landscape of the Puget Sound region. Mount Rainier is the highest point in Washington State, and is also the most glaciated mountain in the continental United States. This picture of a cross country skier was taken from Reflection Lakes in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State, USA.

The American Pika (Ochotona princeps) is an herbivorous, smaller relative of the rabbit. These cute rodents can be found in the mountains of western North America usually above the tree line in large boulder fields. The pika could become the first mammal in United States to be listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a result of global climate change. This pika was found near Mount Fremont, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State, USA.

The Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) is a North American sheep named for its large curled horns. An adult ram can weigh up to 300 lb and the horns alone can weigh up to 30 lb. This bighorn ewe was photographed on the Grinnell Glacier Trail in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.

The Columbia Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River which forms the border between the states of Oregon and Washington. The canyon is up to 4,000 feet deep in places and stretches for over 80 miles as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range. This scene of the Columbia River was taken from Cape Horn near Washougal, Washington State, USA.

The historic San Juan County Courthouse was built in 1908. The courthouse is located in Silverton, Colorado, USA.

Arizona doesn't have many natural ponds and lakes. To provide water for their livestock, early ranchers dug stock tanks in the national forest open range. Now that the national forests are used for recreation these old tanks provide ideal habitat for wildlife as well as popular destinations for hiking. An osprey nest is in the upper part of the picture. This unnamed tank has overflowed from the monoon rainfalls. It is located at the base of Campbell Mesa in Coconino National Forest, Arizona, USA.

Long's Peak was named in honor of explorer Stephen Harriman Long and is featured on the Colorado state quarter. At 14,259 feet above sea level, the mountain can be seen from a wide area. This photograph of Long's Peak at sunrise was taken from Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA.

This mountain bike was photographed in a meadow on Observatory Mesa. The San Francisco Peaks are in the background. Observatory Mesa is in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

The San Juans in southern Colorado are a high altitude range of mountains that straddle the Continental Divide. This wide-open landscape, at 12,300, is well above timberline. The young woman was photographed while hiking on the Colorado Trail near Molas Pass, Colorado, USA.

The aptly named Crooked River winds its way through the gorge below the cliffs of Smith Rock. This scene was photographed at Smith Rock State Park near the town of Terrebonne, yyy, USA.

The Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) is a Western North America subspecies of elk found in the Rocky Mountains and adjacent ranges. In the winter, elk are mostly found in lower elevation open forests and floodplain marshes. In the summer the elk migrates to the alpine meadows and subalpine forests. Elk can reside in a diverse range of habitats but are most often found in forests and forest edges. In mountainous regions they often stay at lower elevations in the winter and migrate to higher elevations during the warmer months. This herd of elk was photographed while grazing in a meadow on Campbell Mesa near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

Emerald Bay is a natural and scenic bay in the southwest corner of Lake Tahoe, California, USA. In 1969 Emerald Bay was recognized as a National Natural Landmark by the US Department of the Interior. Fannette Island in Emerald Bay is the only island in Lake Tahoe.

At 14,410' above sea level, Mount Rainier dominates the landscape of the Puget Sound region. Mount Rainier is the highest point in Washington State, and is also the most glaciated mountain in the continental United States. This picture of Mount Rainier was taken at sunset from Edgewood, Washington State, USA.

The Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is one of the iconic plants of the Sonoran Desert in Southern Arizona and Western Sonora, Mexico. These plants are large cacti that develop branches as they grow and mature. The branches generally bend upward but not always. The fluted trunks and branches of the saguaro are covered with protective spines. In the late spring the plant develops white flowers and red fruit forms in the summer. Saguaros are found only in the Sonoran Desert. To thrive they need water and the correct temperature. At higher elevations, the cold weather and frost can kill the saguaro. The Sonoran Desert experiences monsoon rains during July and August. This is when the saguaro obtains the moisture it needs to survive and thrive. These saguaro cacti were found in Catalina State Park near Tucson, Arizona, USA.

The Pacific Crest Trail, officially known as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, stretches 2,653 miles from the Mexican border to the Canadian Border. It follows the Cascade Range of mountains in Washington, Oregon and Northern California. In Southern California it follows the Sierra Nevada range. The mountains, lakes, meadows and forests along the Pacific Crest Trail are a visual delight in any season. This green forested scene with Dewey Lake was photographed near Chinook Pass, in the William O. Douglas Wilderness, Washington State, USA.

Visitors to the alpine meadows in Switzerland are frequently greeted by herds of dairy cows as well as other livestock. These two pigs were photographed while roaming the meadows at Kleine Scheidegg near Grindelwald, Bern Canton, Switzerland.

The American Southwest has some amazing landscapes, especially the rock formations. In the late evening, as the sun sets, the red rocks take on an even more colorful glow. This view of Capitol Butte and the town was taken from Airport Mesa in Sedona, Arizona, USA.

After the Summer Monsoon rains, wildflowers bloom in fields and forests all over Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

The Common Sunflower (Helianthus annus), a wild native of the American Southwest, is a member of the Asteraceae family. It has a well-known characteristic, called heliotropism, of pivoting its leaves and buds to track the path of the sun from sunrise to sunset. Once the flowers open, they are oriented to the east to greet the rising sun. The common sunflower thrives in the dry, brown disturbed soils of the southwest, turning the arid landscape into a shimmering yellow carpet that attracts wildlife, insects and human visitors alike. In Northern Arizona, the Navajo ancestors extracted a dark red dye from the outer seed coats and the Hopi cultivated a purple sunflower to make a special dye. The sunflower seed was an important food source for most North American tribes. The sunflower, with its large yellow flowers, is also an iconic art symbol and the state flower of Kansas. After the Summer Monsoon rains bring moisture to the region, sunflowers bloom in fields all over Northern Arizona. This picture of the San Francisco Peaks and a field of sunflowers was taken in the evening from Schultz Meadow in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

Grasses and Oak Trees growing along the Merced River display their fall colors beneath the towering monolith of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California, USA.

The San Juans in southern Colorado are a high altitude range of mountains that straddle the Continental Divide. The snow capped Mount Sneffels was photographed from the Dallas Creek Valley in the Uncompahgre National Forest near Ridgway, Colorado, USA.

The Mexican Jay (Aphelocoma wollweberi) is a New World jay native to the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, and Central Plateau of Mexico. It reaches north to eastern Arizona, western New Mexico and western Texas in the United States. Its preferred habitat is montane pine-oak forest. This jay was photographed in the trees near the Organ Pipe Formation at Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona, USA.

An October snowfall covers the trees and peaks surrounding Moraine Park in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA. Hallett Peak is in the distance.

Mount Elden and Little Elden are named for John Elden, one of the region's earliest Anglo settlers. Elden and his family established a homestead on the mountain's lower slopes and, during the late 19th century, grazed sheep on the open grasslands below the mountain. The mountain's exposed, rocky slopes are a dominant feature from almost any part of the surrounding area. Despite its rugged appearance and steep relief, the mountain is accessible via an extensive road and trail system. Little Elden was photographed from the Arizona Trail as it passes through the upper meadow above Sandy Seep in Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

Nothing speaks of rural America like an old barn. Sadly, many of these wooden relics have fallen into disrepair or simply disappeared. The few still remaining remind us of a time when small farms produced most of the food we eat. This barn is depicted with the rugged Teton Range as a backdrop. The historic John and Bartha Moulton barn sits on Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park near Jackson, Wyoming, USA.

Boundary Cone Butte, elevation 3429, is a volcanic neck in the foothills of the Black Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona, USA. The butte is on the historic Route 66 near Oatman, Arizona, about 14 miles east of the Colorado River. Boundary Cone was a prominent landmark to pioneers traveling through the area. The butte is also an important religious and cultural symbol to native tribes in the area. In the early Spring, the meadows surrounding the butte are filled with the colorful orange California Poppy.

Mount Rainier at 14,410' is the highest peak in the Cascade Range. This image was photographed from the beautiful Paradise Meadows at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State, USA. The image shows the meadow in full bloom with aster, lupine, bistort and other wildflowers.

Fall comes early to the high country of Montana. While the plains are still baking in the heat of summer, the Continental Divide is taking on the hues of autumn. This scene of Indianhead Peak in the Rocky Mountain Front Range was photographed from the Pine Butte Guest Ranch near Choteau, Montana, USA.

The Gallatin Range is a 75 mile sub-range of the Rocky Mountains and an integral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The range was named after Albert Gallatin, the longest-serving US Secretary of the Treasury and one of the negotiators of the Alaska Boundary Treaty. This view of the Madison River and Mount Haynes in the Gallatin Range was photographed at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA.

Nothing speaks of rural America like an old barn. Sadly, many of these wooden relics have fallen into disrepair or simply disappeared. The few still remaining remind us of a time when small farms produced most of the food we eat. The historic Thomas Alma and Lucille Moulton barn (circa 1910) sits on Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park near Jackson, Wyoming, USA.

The Naches River flows from the Cascade Range near Chinook Pass and enters the Yakima River in the town of Yakima, Washington State, USA. In the fall, the banks of the river are lined with colorful trees.

Olympic National Park, located in the north-west corner of Washington State, is the most diverse national park in the USA. The central core of the park has high glaciated mountains and alpine meadows. Surrounding this central region are old growth and temperate rain forests. The park also protects over 70 miles of Pacific Coast wilderness. This view of the Olympic Range interior was taken from Hurricane Ridge.

The Blue Lakes Trail in the San Juan Mountains takes you to a chain of three very blue colored lakes surrounded by alpine meadows, abundant wildflowers and peaks approaching 14,000' in elevation. This picture of Lower Blue Lake was taken from the meadows near Middle Blue Lake in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness near Ridgway, Colorado, USA.

Sabino Canyon is a desert canyon in the mountains of Southern Arizona and a popular hiking destination. Sabino Creek flows down the canyon. Sabino Canyon began with the formation of the Santa Catalina Mountains over 12 million years ago. The present-day varieties of plant life began appearing between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago. The earliest human occupants of the area were the Native American Hohokam people. In 1905, Sabino Canyon was placed under the control of the United States Forest Service. This view of a Giant Saguaro forest was photographed from the Esperero Trail. Sabino Canyon is in the Coronado National Forest near Tucson, Arizona, USA.

The Pacific Crest Trail, officially known as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, stretches 2,653 miles from the Mexican border to the Canadian Border. It follows the Cascade Range of mountains in Washington, Oregon and Northern California. In Southern California it follows the Sierra Nevada range. The mountains, lakes, meadows and forests along the Pacific Crest Trail are a visual delight in any season. This green forested summer scene was photographed near Sheep Lake, north of Chinook Pass, in the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington State, USA.