In the shadow of Wheeler Peak at Great Basin National Park in Nevada, ancient bristlecone pine trees grow on rocky glacial moraines – creating a surreal and beautiful landscape. Bristlecone pines are the world’s longest living tree. At Great Basin, a 4,900+ year old tree was removed from the Wheeler Peak grove in 1964. Photo of Bristlecone Pine at sunset by Kelly Carroll, National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 5/8/16.
The colorful landscape at Vermillion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona looks like an imaginary creation from a Dr. Suess book. In real life, the brilliant red, orange and white bands of Lollipop Rock – the iconic geologic formation of the White Pocket area – display enticing curves stretching to cloudless skies. White Pocket is a great area to check out as an alternative to The Wave. Photo courtesy of Scotty Perkins. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/25/16.
The perfect sunset at Virginia’s Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Heather Bautista. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/4/16.