One of the most spectacular #lightning strikes we have ever seen. This photo was taken near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Photo: Travis Roe 

The sun sets behind Horseshoe Bend, a breathtaking creation of the Colorado River meandering through centuries of red rock near Page, Arizona in the Glen Canyon Recreation Area.

Photo: Sylvia Zarco

This Great Horned Owl has found a great place to nest in a Saguaro in Saguaro National Park.

Photo: Drew Jackson

Pan-STARRS comet photographed at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on March 12th. It still may be possible to view this comet over the next several days in the northern hemisphere. Use binoculars if you have them. Start looking 30 minutes after sunset in the direction of sunset. Look low about 10 degrees above the horizon near the top edge of twilight. With your binoculars, you should be able to see the comet head with the tail pointed upward. To find out more, visit: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/15mar_sunsetcomet

Photo: Rick Jurgen

80 years ago this month, Saguaro became a National Monument and then later, a National Park.The park is famous for the giant saguaro, which is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are protected by Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of the modern city of Tucson. Here you have a chance to see these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent desert sunset.

Notice anything interesting about this picture?

Photo: National Park Service

There aren’t too many days left in the winter where you can take a picture like this at the Grand Canyon. Granted, on the South Rim, snow can happen into June. When it does snow it almost looks as if someone has dusted the canyon with powdered sugar. Your next chance for winter photography is Wednesday with more snow predicted.

Photo: M. Quinn, NPS

Mysteries of Sonoran Desert life are slowly revealed and abundantly displayed at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. This International Biosphere Reserve, is an ecorich collection of plants and animals that have adapted to living throughout this surprisingly diverse geological landscape. Scenic drives, wilderness hikes and camping can lead to unravelling the mysteries that await your discovery. 

Photo: National Park Service 

105 years ago today, President Teddy Roosevelt designated the Grand Canyon as a National Monument. This photo shows Mather Point. Not a bad view right?

Photo: W. Tyson Joye, National Park Service 

Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers year-round recreational opportunities for boating, fishing, hiking, photography, picnicking and sightseeing. It is also home to thousands of desert plants and animals, adapted to survive where rain is scarce and temperatures can soar.

Photo: National Park Service 

Before highways and railways, before pioneers, even before Columbus…..the land we know as the United States was truly a vast wilderness. To protect these last remaining areas, in 1984 Congress created the Paria Canyon - Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Coyote Buttes’ outstanding scenery, desert wildlife, colorful history, and opportunities for primitive recreation will remain free from the influence of man and are protected in this condition for future generations. Its 112,500 acres beckon adventurers who yearn for solitude, scenic splendor, and the chance to explore one of the most beautiful geologic formations in the world.

Photo: Adam Marland