Previous Photo Contest Winners

2011 Winners

Designated a NNL in 2011, Hanging Lake is a unique example within the Southern Rocky Mountains biophysiographic province of a lake formed by travertine deposition. It is one of the larger and least altered travertine systems in the province, where natural geologic and hydrologic processes continue to operate as they have done throughout the history of the lake. The site also supports one of the best and largest examples of a hanging garden plant community in the province.

The Archbold Biological Station, designated an NNL in 1987, encompasses the largest known relatively undisturbed tract of contiguous natural communities characteristics of the Lake Wales Ridge. Lake Annie is the highest quality water supply left in the system of valley sink lakes that extends northward from the site. A large number of endemic and rare species of plants and animals are located here.

Monument Rocks Natural Area includes pinnacles, small buttes, and spires of chalk of the Niobrara formation, and erosional remnants of sediments deposited in the ancient Kansas Sea of Cretaceous time. Designated a NNL in 1968, the site is a rich source of fossils of Cretaceous marine animals.

2010 Winners

The Grapevine Mesa Joshua Trees forest contains the best existing display of Joshua trees in the United States. The diversity and excellent condition of the associated flora make this site, designated a NNL in 1967, a superb example of the Mojave Desert ecological unit.

The Dunes Nature Preserve, located within Indiana Dunes State Park, is the best remaining example of undeveloped and relatively unspoiled dune landscape along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, a portion of which is known as the "Birthplace of American Ecology." This site, designated a NNL in 1974, also contains the Ancient Pines Nature Area, a prehistoric forest now exposed by dune blowouts.

The Volo Bog Nature Preserve, designated a NNL in 1972, contains many unusual or rare plants that are characteristic of the classic northern quaking bog.

2009 Winners

Burney Falls, designated a NNL in 1984, contains some of the best examples in the western United States of a river drainage regulated by stratigraphically-controlled springs, and of a waterfall formed by undercutting of horizontal rock layers. This landmark is located within McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park.

Monument Rocks Natural Area was designated a NNL in 1968. This site includes pinnacles, small buttes, chalk spires of the Niobrara formation, and erosional remnants of sediments deposited in the Kansas Sea during the Cretaceous Period.

Russell Lakes, designated a NNL in 1975, represents one of the few remaining large, high-altitude, alkaline marshes in the southern Rocky Mountains. This landmark includes the most extensive bulrush marsh in Colorado, supports large numbers of flora and fauna and is an outstanding resting and breeding site for waterfowl.

2008 Winners

Wallula Gap, designated a NNL in 1980, is the largest, most spectacular, and most significant of the several large water gaps through basalt anticlines in the Columbia River basin.

Grande Ronde Goosenecks is a 1,500-foot deep canyon of circuitous meanders as photographed here. Designated a NNL in 1980, this site illustrates regional uplift and forced entrenchment of a stream.

Garden of the Gods, a Colorado Springs city-owned park was designated a NNL in 1971. The site is an outstanding illustration of the characteristics of sedimentary rocks and the vertical forces that produced the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

2007 Winners

Valley of Fire, designated a NNL in 1968, is an outstanding example of thrust faulting. A great fold, exposed through erosion, reveals huge rock formations, deep canyons, and a great variety of colors. This landmark is located within the Valley of Fire State Park.

Monument Rocks Natural Area, designated a NNL in 1968, contains pinnacles, small buttes, and spires of chalk of the Niobrara formation. Erosional remnants of sediments deposited in the ancient Kansas Sea of Cretaceous time are a rich source of marine mammal fossils.

Burney Falls, designated a NNL in 1984, contains some of the best examples in the western United States of a river drainage regulated by stratigraphically-controlled springs, and of a waterfall formed by undercutting of horizontal rock layers. This landmark is located within McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park.

2006 Winners

Garden of the Gods, designated a NNL in 1971, is an outstanding illustration of the characteristics of sedimentary rocks, including structure, color and mineral composition. The site also nicely illustrates the vertical forces that produced the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, as seen in the background of this photograph. This landmark is a Colorado Springs city-owned park.

Eureka Dunes, designated a NNL in 1983, provides an excellent example of wind-shaped landscapes. It is the tallest dune complex in the Great Basin region of the U.S. The site also contains an endangered grass genus, one species of which is the only plant capable of surviving on and stabilizing the steep dune slopes. Eureka Dunes is located within Death Valley National Park.

Great Falls of Paterson and Garrett Mountain, designated a NNL in 1967, provides an excellent illustration of the jointed Watchung basaltic lava flow that occurred in the early Mesozoic Era. This event began a period of geological extrusion and intrusion throughout eastern North America and influenced present day landforms in the region, such as the waterfall depicted in this photograph. The falls are located in the heart of Paterson, New Jersey.

2005 Winners

Although prairie landscapes often appear subtle, this photo illustrates how the northern Great Plains have always been a dynamic place of extremes from the glacial processes that carved our landscape, to the climatic extremes that are part of each day here.

This photo of Cathedral Caverns shows the cave entrance which is one of the widest of any commercial cave in the world—126 feet wide and 25 feet tall.

This is the largest of the deep lakes in Black Chasm and boxwork (cave formations) are on the ceiling above. This is but one aspect of beauty in this National Natural Landmark.

2004 Winners

McNeil River State Game Sanctuary is one of the premier bear viewing opportunities in the world. It is open to the public by permit only. McNeil River contains a series of small, shallow falls where brown bears concentrate to fish for chum salmon.

Paynes Prairie is a 21,000 acre wilderness in southern Alachua county Florida. This picture is of the observation boardwalk at sunrise.

This site is significant because of the unusual cave formations, such as complex, bladed helictites that are often clear to transparent and the coralloid growths that give the cave a feathery or lacy appearance.