Jeff Goulden National Park 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.

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 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.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park lies where the Great Plains meet the rugged Badlands near Medora, North Dakota, USA. The park's 3 units, linked by the Little Missouri River is a habitat for bison, elk and prairie dogs. The park's namesake, President Teddy Roosevelt once lived in the Maltese Cross Cabin which is now part of the park. This picture of the badlands at sunset was taken from the Painted Canyon Overlook.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park lies where the Great Plains meet the rugged Badlands near Medora, North Dakota, USA. The park's 3 units, linked by the Little Missouri River is a habitat for bison, elk and prairie dogs. The park's namesake, President Teddy Roosevelt once lived in the Maltese Cross Cabin which is now part of the park. This picture of the badlands at sunset was taken from the Painted Canyon Overlook.

The Ajo Mountain Drive offers breathtaking views of the unique Sonoran Desert landscape, featuring a variety of flora and fauna. Two of the standout features of the area are the Organ Pipe Cactus (Stenocereus thurberi) and the Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea). The Saguaro stands tall, often reaching heights of 40 feet or more and living up to two centuries. Its characteristic silhouette, adorned with 'arms' reaching towards the sky, serves as a testament to its endurance in harsh desert conditions. In contrast, the Organ Pipe Cactus thrives in clusters, its slender stems resembling a congregation of organ pipes, hence its name. This cactus species flourishes in rocky terrain, its multiple stems serving as water reservoirs to survive extended periods of drought. These two are endemic to the Sonoran Desert and found nowhere else in the world. This scene , which includes Tillotson Peak, was photographed from the Ajo Mountain Drive in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument south of Ajo, Arizona, USA.

Cirrus clouds appear in a blue sky over Rogers Lake near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park lies where the Great Plains meet the rugged Badlands near Medora, North Dakota, USA. The park's 3 units, linked by the Little Missouri River is a habitat for bison, elk and prairie dogs. The park's namesake, President Teddy Roosevelt once lived in the Maltese Cross Cabin which is now part of the park. This picture of a bison herd (Bison bison) was taken from the Jones Creek area.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park lies where the Great Plains meet the rugged Badlands near Medora, North Dakota, USA. The park's 3 units, linked by the Little Missouri River is a habitat for bison, elk and prairie dogs. The park's namesake, President Teddy Roosevelt once lived in the Maltese Cross Cabin which is now part of the park. This picture of a classic badland formation was taken from the Caprock Coulee Trail.

Sixty million years ago the west side of Bright Angel Fault was lifted higher than the east side, creating the canyon that we now see. The exposed walls of Bright Angel Canyon allow us to see the geological history of the area. Tropical seas, coastal beaches, sand dunes, swamps, lagoons, and Sahara-like deserts are represented by the horizontal layers that are exposed. The upper five layers of stacked rock records 70 million years of rising and falling sea levels. The limestone layers represent shallow sea environments, sandstone layers mean sandy beaches or dunes, while shale layers translate to mud flats, swamps, or coastal plains. This picture of Bright Angel Canyon was taken at sunrise from Bright Angel Point on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, 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.

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.

The Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos) is a species of lizard native to western North America. They are often called "horny toads", although they are not actually in the same family as toads. Desert horned lizards are distinguished by the large pointed scales at the back of their heads, giving them the appearance of having horns as well as the flat and broad shape of their bodies. This horned lizard was photographed on Campbell Mesa in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

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

The Grizzly Bear (Usus Arctos horribilis), also known as the North American Brown Bear, is a large population of brown bear inhabiting North America. They are a very large bear with the male weighing from 400 - 790 pounds and the females from 290 - 400 pounds. The Lewis and Clark expedition named the bear "grisley" but probably meant grisly which means fear-inspiring or gruesome. Although grizzly bears are classified as and have the digestive system of carnivores they eat both plants and animals. They will even eat carrion left behind by other animals. They are very opportunistic feeders eating whatever they can find. Grizzly bears normally hibernate for 5-7 months each year, especially in a colder climate. This grizzly bear was photographed while foraging in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.

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.

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.

The Tatoosh Range is a rugged mountain range located south of Mount Rainier. The range runs east-west and has 25 named peaks, the highest of which is Unicorn Peak at 6,971 feet above sea level. This view of the Tatoosh Range was photographed from Fourth Crossing near Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State, USA.

The North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semiaquatic mammal native to North America. It is found in and along the waterways and coasts. An adult North American river otter can weigh up to 18 pounds. This family of river otters was photographed while basking on the bank of the Snake River in Hell's Canyon National Recreation Area near Lewiston, Idaho, USA.

This young woman and her dog are hiking on Humphreys Peak in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness near Flagstaff, Arizona, 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 big old ram with its broken-off horns was photographed on the Grinnell Glacier Trail in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.

The Trinity Alps Wilderness is a 525,627-acre national wilderness in northern California. It is contained within and administered by Shasta-Trinity, Klamath, and Six Rivers National Forests. The wilderness is part of the Salmon and Scott Mountains which are subranges of the Klamath Mountains. The high, granite peaks of the eastern half of the wilderness are known as the Trinity Alps. This lush meadow was photographed below Granite Lake. Granite Lake is located in the Trinity Alps near Weaverville, California, 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.

Crater Lake exists in the blown-out caldera of a once mighty volcano known as Mount Mazama. This view of the lake and Wizard Island was taken from the Rim Trail in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon, 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.

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

White Sands National Park covers 145,762 acres in the Tularosa Basin of the American Southwest. The white dunes, largest of their kind on earth, are made up of gypsum sand dissolved from the surrounding mountains and carried into the basin almost 12,000 years ago. In 1933 President Herbert Hoover designated the area as a national monument. It became a national park in 2019. The yucca plant and sand dunes were photographed from the Sunset Stroll area in White Sands National Park near Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA.

Capitol Reef National Park is in the desert of southern Utah. The park is filled with cliffs, towers, domes and arches. The first part of the park’s name derives from the many dome shaped Navajo Sandstone formations each of which resembles the US capitol. The second half of the name refers to the parallel impassable ridges which the early settlers called reefs. The first paved road through this area wasn’t constructed until 1962. Central to the area is the famous Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile wrinkle in the earth, which is 65 million years old and the largest exposed monocline in North America. The Fremont River has carved canyons through some parts of the Waterpocket Fold but the area remains a dry desert. The park is also a showcase for ancient history and the more recent history of the Mormon pioneers. This scene of ancient petroglyphs was photographed in Capitol Reef National Park near Fruita, Utah, USA.

Butterflies are some of the most colorful members of the insect family. They can often be photographed while resting and feeding on plants and wildflowers. This endangered Taylor's Checkerspot( Euphydryas editha taylori) was photographed on a Common Yarrow alongside the Iron Bear Trail in Wenatchee National Forest, Washington State, USA.

A young woman and her dog hike the Colorado Trail in the San Juan National Forest, Colorado, USA.

Landscape Arch is a 306 foot span of sandstone that has slowly been eroding away for centuries. On September 1, 1991 a 60 foot long slab of the rock peeled away, leaving 180 tons of rock debris below the arch. Landscape Arch is in the Devil's Garden area of Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, 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 colorful fall scene was photographed at Sheep Lake, north of Chinook Pass, in the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington State, USA.

Grinnell Lake is a pretty alpine lake below the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains. Its opaque turquoise appearance comes from the silt which is transported to the lake from Grinnell Glacier. Grinnell Lake is accessible via the Grinnell Glacier Trail and is located 3.2 miles from the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.

The Liberty Bell was commissioned in 1752 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, and was cast with the lettering "Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof." The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American independence. Once placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House, the bell today is located in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. In this picture, Independence Hall can be seen through the window.

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 by the Inner Basin Trail in Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA - May 17, 2011: The American flag flies in front of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center at Mather Point.

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 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.

Nearly a thousand years ago natives inhabited the lower elevations around the San Francisco Peaks of Arizona. In an area so dry it would seem impossible to live, they built pueblos, harvested rainwater, grew crops and raised families. Today the remnants of their villages dot the landscape along with other artifacts. Decorated pottery such as the shard shown in the picture was likely not produced in the area where the shard was found. This type of pottery was brought in for trading purposes by people from nearby tribes. It is unlawful to remove shards from an archeological site. They may be examined but must be returned to their original location. These pottery shards were found below Little Elden Mountain near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

Petrified wood is formed when dead trees are buried by layers of sediment. The logs soak up groundwater and silica from volcanic ash and over time are crystallized into quartz. Different minerals create the colors seen in the logs. These petrified logs are at the Rainbow Forest in Petrified Forest National Park near Holbrook, Arizona, USA.

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 Grand Lake was photographed from the Grand Ridge Trail near Sequim, Washington State, USA.

Seven Warriors is a long ridge with seven prominent peaks. This view of Seven Warriors was photographed from the Turkey Creek Trail in the Coconino National Forest near the Village of Oak Creek, Arizona, USA.

Snowdon Peak in San Juan County is a 13,077-foot mountain located in the Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan National Forest. It is part of the Rocky Mountains of North America and is located nine miles west of the Continental Divide. The mountain is named after Mount Snowdon, the highest point in Wales. Snowdon Peak is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone. It receives precipitation almost all year in the form of rain or snow. The rain and snowmelt drain into tributaries of the Animas River, which is part of the Colorado River System. This view of Snowdon Peak was photographed from Little Molas Lake by the 500-mile-long Colorado Trail near Silverton, Colorado, USA.

Cirrus clouds appear in a blue sky over the Coconino National Forest near Sedona, Arizona, USA.

Badlands are a particular type of rock formation found in arid regions around the world. These formations require poorly consolidated rock and infrequent but torrential rain. The soft rock allows large quantities of water to channel down gullies, carrying away sediment. Bentonite clay within these formations can swell up with moisture. As the clay dries it shrinks and cracks, creating a surface resembling the skin of an elephant. Beneath the surface, an intricate maze of natural pipes and spaces form within the badlands. This hidden plumbing appears on the face of the badlands as dimples, sinks, slumps and seeps. As erosion continues, new features including caves and natural bridges can form. Badlands often take on varied colors giving the formations a banded appearance. These colorful badland formations were at Blue Mesa in Petrified Forest National Park near Holbrook, Arizona, USA.

Nearly a thousand years ago natives inhabited the lower elevations around the San Francisco Peaks of Arizona. In an area so dry it would seem impossible to live, they built pueblos, harvested rainwater, grew crops and raised families. Today the remnants of their villages dot the landscape along with their other artifacts. These petroglyphs were found on Magnetic Mesa in Wupatki National Monument near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

Butterflies are some of the most colorful members of the insect family. They can often be photographed while resting and feeding on plants and wildflowers. This endangered Taylor's Checkerspot( Euphydryas editha taylori) was photographed on a Common Yarrow alongside the Iron Bear Trail in Wenatchee National Forest, Washington State, USA.

Fisher Point is a large and beautifully colored formation of Coconino Sandstone at the western end of Walnut Canyon and the northern end of Sandy’s Canyon. Fisher Point is named for Ed Fisher, an early forest ranger. Fisher Point is located next to the Arizona Trail in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park lies where the Great Plains meet the rugged Badlands near Medora, North Dakota, USA. The park's 3 units, linked by the Little Missouri River is a habitat for bison, elk and prairie dogs. The park's namesake, President Teddy Roosevelt once lived in the Maltese Cross Cabin which is now part of the park. This picture of a classic badland formation was taken from the Scenic Loop Drive.

The Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) is a member of the Agave family that typically grows in the Mojave Desert of the American Southwest. Legend has it that Mormon pioneers named the tree after the biblical figure Joshua, seeing the limbs of the tree as outstretched arms. This Joshua Tree was photographed at the Jumbo Rocks area in Joshua Tree National Park, California.

The Olympic Marmot (Marmota olympus) is a large member of the squirrel family that lives only on the Olympic Penninsula of Washington State. This marmot is standing and looking out from its burrow on Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, 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 Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed ungulate found only in North America. A subalpine to alpine species, it is a sure-footed climber commonly seen on cliffs and in meadows. This Mountain Goat was photographed near Ingalls Pass in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness of Washington State, 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.

The Santa Catalina Mountains formed about 20 million years ago when tremendous heat and pressure from volcanoes caused this flat land to buckle and arch. This photograph of Sutherland Wash and the Santa Catalina Mountains was taken at sunset in Catalina State Park near Oro Valley, Arizona, USA.

This young female hiker is enjoying the view of Mount Rainier reflected in Aurora Lake. This photograph was taken at Klapatche Park in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State, USA.