Pictures, Images and Stock Photos

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.

The Common Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) is a North American species of lizard in the family Crotaphytidae. It is distinguished by its oversized head, colorful body and bands of black around the neck and shoulders. The black bands give it the name “collared”. It is also known as Eastern Collared Lizard, Oklahoma Collared Lizard, Yellow-Headed Lizard and Collared Lizard. The collared lizard can grow to 8-15 inches in length including the tail. They have a large head and powerful jaws. The adult males with their blue green bodies are generally more colorful than the females. The collared lizard is mostly found in the arid, open landscapes of Mexico and south-central United States. They are carnivores, feeding on insects and small vertebrates. Occasionally they may eat plant material. This collared lizard was photographed while basking on warm rocks in Homolovi State Park near Winslow, Arizona, USA.

The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a common bird, found in most parts of the world. Females and young birds are colored pale brown and grey, and males have bright black, white, and brown markings. The house sparrow is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia. It has been introduced to many parts of the world, including Australia, Africa, and the Americas, making it the most widely distributed wild bird. This male was photographed while perched on a saguaro cactus in Phoenix, Arizona, 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 Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), with its distinctive orange throat and blue eyes, is a seabird whose habitat includes rivers and lakes as well as in coastal areas. It is widely distributed across North America, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska down to Florida and Mexico. This male cormorant was photographed standing with his wings spread on the bank of Walnut Canyon Lakes in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

The Redhead (Aythya americana), also known as a pochard, is a medium-sized diving duck. Their legs are farther back on the body, which makes it difficult to walk on land but they have larger webbing on their feet and a broader bill which makes them especially adapted to foraging underwater. During the breeding season, adult males have a copper head and a black breast. The back and sides are grey with a white belly and light black rump and tail. The male bill is pale blue with a black tip. The females are light brown with a white ring around the eye. Their bill is dark gray with a black tip. Redheads breed across a wide range of North America from Northern Canada to the Southern United States. In the winter they migrate south to warmer climates. Their favored habitat is wetlands in non-forested areas. In the winter the redheads prefer protected coastal areas. During the breeding season their diet includes gastropods, mollusks and larvae and occasionally grass and other vegetation. In the winter the redhead eats mainly plant material. This male redhead was photographed while swimming in John F. Kennedy Lake in Tucson, Arizona, USA.

The Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) is a large diving duck that lives in rivers, lakes and saltwater in the forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America. It has a serrated bill that helps it grip its prey which are mostly fish. In addition, it eats mollusks, crustaceans, worms and larvae. The common merganser builds its nest in tree cavities. The species is a permanent resident where the waters remain open in winter and migrates away from areas where the water freezes. This female common merganser in non-breeding plumage was photographed while swimming at Walnut Canyon Lakes in Flagstaff, Arizona, 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.

The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is not native to North America but has become extremly common since its introduction to New York's Central Park in 1890. The original introduced flock of 60 birds has now spread throughout the continent. This starling was photographed in Edgewood, Washington State, USA.

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.

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. These hikers on the sand dunes were photographed from the Alkali Flat Trail in White Sands National Park near Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA.

Campbell Mesa is one of many wooded mesas in the Coconino National Forest of Northern Arizona. On the west side of the mesa are stands of Ponderosa Pine interspersed with oak groves, grassy meadows and wildflowers. On the east side the pine forest gives way to junipers and other scrub vegetation. Campbell Mesa was named after Hugh E. Campbell, a prosperous local sheep rancher from Nova Scotia, Canada. He was born on June 10, 1862 and came to Arizona in the early 1890's. As a strong Democrat, he took a serious interest in civic affairs and was elected to the Arizona Senate and supported the prosperity and welfare of his community. Campbell Mesa is now a popular destination for mountain biking, equestrian use and hiking. This view of a grassy meadow was photographed on Campbell Mesa in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, 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. These sand dunes were photographed from the Alkali Flat Trail in White Sands National Park near Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA.

Mount Elden is 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. Mount Elden was photographed from Campbell Meadows in 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.

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.

Mount Elden is 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. Mount Elden was photographed from Walnut Canyon Lakes in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

Mount Elden is 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. Mount Elden was photographed from Walnut Canyon Lakes in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

A thousand or more years ago, natives inhabited the lower elevations around the San Francisco Peaks of Northern Arizona. In an area so dry it would seem impossible to live, they built pueblos, harvested rainwater, grew crops, hunted game and raised families. Today the remnants of their villages dot the landscape along with other artifacts such as this obsidian projectile point from the Sinaguan era; about 500AD to 1450AD. Although commonly called an arrowhead, the point was probably not attached to an arrow or shot from a bow, a weapon not thought to be used by the Sinagua. More likely it was affixed to the tip of a spear and thrown to strike and kill game animals. It is unlawful to remove artifacts, such as this point, from a native site. They may be examined but must be returned to their original location. This projectile point was photographed at Sandy Seep in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

The Alpaca (Vicugna Pacos) is a species of South American camelid. They descended from the vicuña and is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. Alpacas are often noticeably smaller than llamas and their ears are pointy rather than curved. The two animals are closely related and can be cross-bred. Alpacas were bred for their wool which is similar to sheep's wool. This alpaca was living on a farm in Edgewood, Washington State, USA.

The Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) is a species of artiodactyl (even-toed, hoofed) mammal native to interior western and central North America. Although it is commonly thought of and called an antelope it is not a true antelope. The pronghorn is the only surviving member of the Antilocapridae family and has been in North America for over a million years. The pronghorn has a similar body shape to a deer but stockier and shorter legged. Both males and females grow horns but the male horns are larger. The horns are shed each year as the new horns grow from underneath. The pronghorn weighs between 90 and 120 pounds and stands about 3 1/2 feet tall at the shoulder. It has a tan to reddish brown body with white markings throughout. The pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in the Western Hemisphere. Its great speed enables the pronghorn to outrun most predators. Pronghorns are migratory herd animals. Their migration routes have been threatened by fencing and fragmentation of their habitat. Pronghorns cannot jump over traditional barb wire fences like deer and elk can. They try to pass underneath and sometimes get caught in the fencing. Newer types of fencing have plastic pipe under the bottom strands which allows the animals to pass through. Pronghorns are quite numerous and in some areas like Wyoming and northern Colorado the pronghorn population at times has exceeded the human population. This pronghorn was photographed at Bryce Point Turnoff in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA.

Palo Alto, California, USA - February 05, 2008: Hoover Tower is a landmark structure on the campus of Stanford University. The 285 feet (87 m) tower houses the Hoover Institution Library and Archives. Hoover Tower was named for Herbert Hoover a Stanford graduate and former president of the United States. Hoover donated a large history collection to create a "library of war, revolution and peace" which is housed in this facility. Stanford University is in Palo Alto, California, USA.

Cirrus clouds appear in a blue sky over Damon Point in Ocean Shores, Washington State, USA.

The Tortugas Mountain Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by New Mexico State University. It was built in 1963 to observe the planets. Regular use of the observatory ceased around 1999 but the equipment was never dismantled. In 2010 efforts were made to reestablish the observatory. As of 2011 the work was still on-going. The observatory is located on Tortugas Mountain near Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA.

Ward and Irene Bradley moved to Puyallup in 1956 and bought 59 acres of peat bog and wetland. After years of excavating and selling the topsoil from the property, a lake was formed. In 1997 the city of Puyallup bought the property and the 12 acre lake with the goal of turning it into a city park. This scene of the lake was photographed on a spring evening. Bradley Lake Park is located on South Hill in Puyallup, Washington State, USA.

The Rocky Mountain Zinnia (Zinnia grandiflora), sometimes called prairie zinnia or wild zinnia, is a perennial that grows 4-8 inches high in small mounds and slowly spreads to become a groundcover. From mid-summer until fall it has bright yellow flowers that cover the plants. Wild zinnias grow in hot sunny spots on rugged terrain with well-drained soil. They are a north and central American native growing in the Southwest and on down to Central America. These Rocky Mountain Zinnias were photographed at Homolovi State Park near Winslow, Arizona, USA.

Most members of the tyrant flycatcher family are drab in color. The male Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus), with its dark wing feathers and brilliant red head and body, is a notable exception. This flycatcher is fairly common in parts of the Southwest USA as well as Central and South America. Its habitat includes grassland or desert with scattered trees but is more frequently near water. The diet of the vermilion flycatcher is exclusively insects which are mostly caught in the air but they may also hover and drop to the ground for small prey. This male vermilion flycatcher was photographed at John F. Kennedy Lake in Tucson, Arizona, 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.

The Organ Mountains are a rugged mountain range in southern New Mexico on the east side of the Rio Grande Valley. The range is a continuation of the Franklin Mountains to the south and the San Augustin and San Andres Mountains to the north. This view of the Tortugas Mountain Observatory with the Organ Mountains in the background was photographed from Tortugas Mountain near Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA.

Stadium High School was originally built in 1891 as a hotel for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. The financial panic of 1893 brought the construction to a halt. The unfinished building was subsequently used as a storage facility. On October 11, 1898 the building was destroyed by a fire. In 1904 the building was purchased by the Tacoma School District with the intention of turning it into a high school. The reconstructed building was opened on September 10, 1906 as Tacoma High School. It was later renamed Stadium High. The school achieved fame as the main location for the filming of the 1999 movie “Ten Things I Hate About You”. Stadium High School is located in Tacoma, Washington State, USA.

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.

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.

Cumulus clouds appear in a blue sky over Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA.

The Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) is a large diving duck that lives in rivers, lakes and saltwater in the forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America. It has a serrated bill that helps it grip its prey which are mostly fish. In addition, it eats mollusks, crustaceans, worms and larvae. The common merganser builds its nest in tree cavities. The species is a permanent resident where the waters remain open in winter and migrates away from areas where the water freezes. This female common merganser in non-breeding plumage was photographed while standing on the bank of Walnut Canyon Lakes in Flagstaff, Arizona, 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.

Campbell Mesa is one of many wooded mesas in the Coconino National Forest of Northern Arizona. On the west side of the mesa are stands of Ponderosa Pine interspersed with oak groves, grassy meadows and wildflowers. On the east side the pine forest gives way to junipers and other scrub vegetation. Campbell Mesa was named after Hugh E. Campbell, a prosperous local sheep rancher from Nova Scotia, Canada. He was born on June 10, 1862 and came to Arizona in the early 1890's. As a strong Democrat, he took a serious interest in civic affairs and was elected to the Arizona Senate and supported the prosperity and welfare of his community. Campbell Mesa is now a popular destination for mountain biking, equestrian use and hiking. This view of a grassy meadow turning to a golden hue was photographed on Campbell Mesa in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, 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.

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

The Red Wolf (Canis rufus) is the worlds most endangered canine. It is a uniquely American wolf, its entire historical range being limited to within the eastern United States. The red wolf subspecies is the product of an ancient genetic mix between the gray wolf and coyote, but is now considered a unique subspecies and worthy of conservation. The red wolf is smaller and thinner than the gray wolf. It is actually gray-black in color, but has a distinctive reddish cast for which it is named. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) started breeding them in captivity in the 1980's. In 1987 the red wolf was reintroduced into the wild but recovery efforts continue to be plagued by political attacks, misconceptions about wolves and weak recovery plans. As a result, red wolf populations are still declining in the wild and they are facing eventual extinction.

The USA-Mexico Border Fence separates people in Naco, Arizona, USA from their neighbors and family in Naco, Sonora, Mexico.

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 House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) is a year-round resident of North America and the Hawaiian Islands. Male coloration varies in intensity with availability of the berries and fruits in its diet. As a result, the colors range from pale straw-yellow through bright orange to deep red. Adult females have brown upperparts and streaked underparts. This mating pair, lovingly looking at each other, was photographed in Edgewood, Washington State, USA.

The Common Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) is a North American species of lizard in the family Crotaphytidae. It is distinguished by its oversized head, colorful body and bands of black around the neck and shoulders. The black bands give it the name “collared”. It is also known as Eastern Collared Lizard, Oklahoma Collared Lizard, Yellow-Headed Lizard and Collared Lizard. The collared lizard can grow to 8-15 inches in length including the tail. They have a large head and powerful jaws. The adult males with their blue green bodies are generally more colorful than the females. The collared lizard is mostly found in the arid, open landscapes of Mexico and south-central United States. They are carnivores, feeding on insects and small vertebrates. Occasionally they may eat plant material. This collared lizard was photographed while basking on warm rocks in Homolovi State Park near Winslow, Arizona, 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.

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 in Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Arizona, USA.

Monument Valley is on the Arizona/Utah border near Oljato, Utah, USA. The valley with its strange sandstone formations is the epitome of the Old West. This iconic view was taken at sunset, capturing the other-worldly glow on the red rock.

This young woman and her dog are hiking on Humphreys Peak in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

The American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) is the state bird of Washington, Iowa and New Jersey. It is a fairly common summer resident to the Pacific Northwest, migrating to the southern USA and Mexico in the winter. This male with its brilliant yellow and black plumage was photographed in Edgewood, Washington State, USA.

The North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is the second largest rodent in North America, after the North American Beaver (Castor canadensis). The porcupine is distinguished by its coat of about 30,000 quills that covers all of its body except underbelly, face and feet. The quills are sharp, barbed and hollow hairs that are used primarily for defense and insulation. When used for defense, the quills can lodge in the flesh of a victim and are difficult and painful to remove. The porcupine’s summer diet includes twigs, roots, stems, berries, and other vegetation. In the winter, they mainly eat conifer needles and tree bark. Porcupines are a slow-moving creature with poor distance vision. They are nocturnal, spending their days resting in trees. The porcupine does not hibernate in winter, preferring to stay close and sleep in their dens. This porcupine was photographed in the woods near Williams, Arizona, USA.

The Old City Hall, built in 1893, is a five-story building in the Italianate architecture style that served as the city hall for Tacoma in the early 20th century. The building features a ten-story clocktower on the southeast corner. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 1974. Old City Hall is in Tacoma, Washington State, USA.

The Yellow-Headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) is a medium-sized blackbird with the adult male having a distinctive yellow head and breast. The adult female is mainly brown with a dull yellow breast and throat. Their breeding habitat is the cattail marshes west of the Great Lakes of North America. During winter the yellow-headed blackbird migrates to the southwest United States and Mexico. They like to forage in the marsh for seeds and insects but sometimes will catch insects in flight. This male yellow-headed blackbird was photographed while foraging in a meadow near Walnut Canyon Lakes in 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.

With the advent of radar, GPS and other advanced navigation tools, lighthouses no longer need to perform the same function they once did; guiding ships to safety. Instead, they have been preserved as historic monuments; reminding us of a time when shipping and sailing were more perilous activities. The Cape Disappointment Lighthouse is located at Cape Disappointment State Park near Ilwaco, Washington State, USA.

Redwood City, California, USA - October 01, 2011: The old San Mateo County courthouse in Redwood City, California, USA is now used as a history museum.

A thousand or more years ago, natives inhabited the lower elevations around the San Francisco Peaks of Northern Arizona. In an area so dry it would seem impossible to live, they built pueblos, harvested rainwater, grew crops, hunted game and raised families. Today the remnants of their villages dot the landscape along with other artifacts such as this obsidian projectile point from the Sinaguan era; about 500AD to 1450AD. Although commonly called an arrowhead, the point was probably not attached to an arrow or shot from a bow, a weapon not thought to be used by the Sinagua. More likely it was affixed to the tip of a spear and thrown to strike and kill game animals. It is unlawful to remove artifacts, such as this point, from a native site. They may be examined but must be returned to their original location. This projectile point was photographed at Sandy Seep in the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

The North Cascades Highway traverses the Cascade Range of mountains in an east-west direction. Only open late spring through fall, this highway offers stunning views and access into the North Cascades National Park. This winding highway scene was taken from the Washington Pass Overlook in the Okanogan National Forest, Washington State, 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 Caprock Coulee Trail.

The Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) is a rabbit native to the American southwest from western Texas north to eastern Montana, and in northern and central Mexico. The cottontail gets its name from the grayish-brown tufted tail. The desert cottontail’s diet consists mainly of forbs and grasses. It can also eat many other plants including cacti. They can be seen foraging for their food in the early morning and evening. Since they get most of their water from plants or dew, they rarely need to drink. On windy days they remain in their burrows because the wind interferes with their ability to hear predators. Cottontails use burrows created by other mammals to give birth to their young. This desert cottontail was photographed near Walnut Canyon Lakes in 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.

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.