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18 Of The Best Wilderness Photos From The Smithsonian’s “Wilderness Forever” Photo Contest
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18 Of The Best Wilderness Photos From The Smithsonian’s “Wilderness Forever” Photo Contest

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The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has unveiled an epic wildlife photography exhibit called “Wilderness Forever: 50 Years of Protecting America’s Wild Places.” The exhibit features beautiful photos that perfectly capture the gripping beauty of America’s wildest natural spaces.

The photo contest celebrates the Wilderness Act, an integral element of the U.S.A’s conservation efforts that, since its adoption in 1964, has protected more than 109 million acres of American wilderness and wildlife living there.

The exhibit was selected from more than 5,000 submissions to the photography contest from throughout the U.S. Many of the winning best photos come from the stunning mountains and tundras of Alaska, the mossy mountain forests of the Pacific Coast, and the unique sandstone formations of the South-West – all regions worth exploring!

You can see these stunning pictures live through summer 2015.

More info: smithsonian.com | wilderness50th.org | Facebook (h/t: distractify)

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    Image credits: Dee Ann Pederson

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    Brown Bear, Katmai Wilderness, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska

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    Climbing the Summit Pyramid Of Sahale Mountain, Washington

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    Aurora Ridge Trail, Sol Duc Valley, Washington

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    Alaska Range, Denali Wilderness In Alaska

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    Snowy Meadow, Mount Hood Wilderness, Oregon

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    Dovas

    Dovas

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    There is a beast with heart of cold stone that dashes like lightning, shreds flesh from bone. // Bewitched by this beast, I fell to my knees. My mouth babbled madness and mumbled soft pleas. // I stared down the ravenous, gnashing dark maw of a cute cuddly kitten with yarn in its paw

    Read less »
    Dovas

    Dovas

    Author, Community member

    There is a beast with heart of cold stone that dashes like lightning, shreds flesh from bone. // Bewitched by this beast, I fell to my knees. My mouth babbled madness and mumbled soft pleas. // I stared down the ravenous, gnashing dark maw of a cute cuddly kitten with yarn in its paw

    What do you think ?
    Add photo comments
    POST
    NormaHernandez
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And I think to myself, WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD. Stunning photos.

    MindyMachanic
    Community Member
    9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm very tired of HDR super-filter-effects ultra-contrasty nature photos & I'm a long-time nature and landscape photographer using digital.

    KatalinHollay
    Community Member
    9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sometimes I wonder why we take vacations in other countries when we have such beautiful parks in our own country.

    AntonietaLeon
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    MUY BELLO E INCREIBLE FOTOS, TODAS ME GUSTAN SOBRE TODO LOS ANIMALES.

    MaryAnnGrace
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    surreal, these are remarkable. Just want to watch over and over again. Wish I could see them in person

    AnnMerritt
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank you for such beautiful photos, we truly have such diversity and beauty!!

    AntonioMartinCallejas
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pienso............,mucho,es un es, la vida,es la naturaleza,es una gratificación tan hermosa,tan bella,y tan tranquila,fotos,10,P,Tierra.

    AlexKovesy
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wonderful, and just think we are destroying these beautiful things!!

    MariJung
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My favorite is the mountain goat kids; however, every photo is fantastic!!!! Thank you....

    DebbieRiley
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I thought we would not get to see this stuff were it not for the camera.......and the photographer. Absolutely beautiful photography!

    ShellyLohmann
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazing, wish I could see all the places and pictures for real. I love nature.

    MaryMorris
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I love these! Thank you for sharing these stunning photos. I am so lucky that so many of these places are so close to my home.

    DeborahSaunders
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think USA should promote itself more as a stunning landscape holiday destination and not just theme parks, movie stars and big cities.

    PennyJackson
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That America is beautiful.....from sea to shining sea!!!! May God Bless us All.

    Hassan Sadek
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So nice, Wonderful. Sometimes we need to see this to break #TheBoredTime

    Berkaytunalı
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    have so inspration that people wants leave from your responsiblities..

    AdrienHanitsch
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They're all very good, yet more than half of these images are far from being the best American Wilderness images I've seen lately...

    NormaHernandez
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And I think to myself, WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD. Stunning photos.

    MindyMachanic
    Community Member
    9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm very tired of HDR super-filter-effects ultra-contrasty nature photos & I'm a long-time nature and landscape photographer using digital.

    KatalinHollay
    Community Member
    9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sometimes I wonder why we take vacations in other countries when we have such beautiful parks in our own country.

    AntonietaLeon
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    MUY BELLO E INCREIBLE FOTOS, TODAS ME GUSTAN SOBRE TODO LOS ANIMALES.

    MaryAnnGrace
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    surreal, these are remarkable. Just want to watch over and over again. Wish I could see them in person

    AnnMerritt
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank you for such beautiful photos, we truly have such diversity and beauty!!

    AntonioMartinCallejas
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pienso............,mucho,es un es, la vida,es la naturaleza,es una gratificación tan hermosa,tan bella,y tan tranquila,fotos,10,P,Tierra.

    AlexKovesy
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wonderful, and just think we are destroying these beautiful things!!

    MariJung
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My favorite is the mountain goat kids; however, every photo is fantastic!!!! Thank you....

    DebbieRiley
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I thought we would not get to see this stuff were it not for the camera.......and the photographer. Absolutely beautiful photography!

    ShellyLohmann
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazing, wish I could see all the places and pictures for real. I love nature.

    MaryMorris
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I love these! Thank you for sharing these stunning photos. I am so lucky that so many of these places are so close to my home.

    DeborahSaunders
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think USA should promote itself more as a stunning landscape holiday destination and not just theme parks, movie stars and big cities.

    PennyJackson
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That America is beautiful.....from sea to shining sea!!!! May God Bless us All.

    Hassan Sadek
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So nice, Wonderful. Sometimes we need to see this to break #TheBoredTime

    Berkaytunalı
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    have so inspration that people wants leave from your responsiblities..

    AdrienHanitsch
    Community Member
    10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They're all very good, yet more than half of these images are far from being the best American Wilderness images I've seen lately...

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