Smithsonian Wilderness Forever Photo Contest
A herd of mountain goats huddle together on top of Mount Evans, Colorado during a lightning storm. This photo was selected out of more than 5,000 entries to go on display in “Wilderness Forever: 50 Years of Protecting America’s Wild Places,” a new photo exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, which will run through summer 2015.
More information and a chance to vote for your favorites can be found at the exhibit's website.
Proxy Falls, Oregon
Proxy Falls cascade down towards the moss-covered forest of Three Sisters Wilderness in Oregon. The photographer, Thomas Goebel, is 18 years old.
Red fox, Alaska
A Red Fox frolicking in the fall colors of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
White Pocket, Arizona
Colorful twisted petrified sand dunes of White Pocket tower over Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness in Arizona.
Brown bear, Alaska
A brown bear found in Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska holds a freshly caught salmon in its mouth.
Olympic peninsula, Washington
An inviting path winds around the Aurora Ridge Trail in Sol Duc Valley, Olympic Wilderness, Wash.
Boundary Waters, Minnesota
A lone paddler watches the sun set upon the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minn.
Snowy owl, New York
An adult male Snowy Owl, wide awake at the day’s first light in Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness Area, N.Y.
Alaska Range, Alaska
Wintry peaks of the Alaska Range are reflected in a pristine pool of water in the high tundra. The photographer, Tim Aiken, is 18 years old.
Milky Way, Oregon
The Milky Way sparkles over Second Beach in the Olympic Wilderness, Wash.