The comet NEOWISE glows in the night sky above Nebraska’s iconic Chimney Rock. Both sights bring such hope and inspiration. A prominent part of the landscape during the western migration, Chimney Rock, used to be substantially taller. Overtime wind, erosion and lightning have cut down its height, but it remains a striking landmark. Erik Johnson remarks, “As I stood there in silence under the moonlight, I couldn’t help but wonder what other remarkable celestial events were witnessed by travelers before me, in the dark skies above the towering rock formation.”  Photo of Chimney Rock, a significant landmark for those traveling on the Oregon, California and Mormon trails, courtesy of Erik Johnson.

Winter blues take on a new meaning when you’re talking about the vibrant color of the sky and the bright blue water at Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery. Located on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, the hatchery raises millions of Chinook salmon and has provided recreational fishing opportunities since its establishment in 1896. In winter, watch for bald eagles of varying ages as they fly over where the river meets the lake. Observe common mergansers dive for salmon eggs, or American dippers rolling in the river’s ripples. Whether you come for hiking, fishing, “fish watching”, walking along the river, or kayaking - it’s worth a visit. Photo by Orlanda John, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Travel to the northern-most point of Kaua‘i and the Main Hawaiian Islands and you’ll be met with a paradise known as Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. When Anne Readel photographed this shot in March, red-footed boobies circled the skies around the setting sun, she described it as a “truly magical place”. Gorgeous views from the 568-foot ocean bluff, incredible wildlife watching and mesmerizing waves crashing below – a trip to Hawaii could be the perfect goal for the next year. What is your dream #usinterior destination? Photo courtesy of Anne Readel.

Fireweed blooms in the late Alaskan summer and darkens as autumn approaches. It gets its name from growing on burnt ground left open after wildfires. One of the great joys of discovering the botany of Denali National Park is the unique and intact nature of the plant communities that exist here. Here we see fireweed thriving with Denali in the background. Photo by Gavin Danapong. (www.sharetheexperience.org)

A gorgeous winter scene at Joshua Tree National Park in California. Juan Moreno took this image of snow-covered Hidden Valley at Joshua Tree National Park on New Year’s eve.

Photo courtesy of Juan Moreno.

The sky is ablaze with color during sunset at the National Bison Range Refuge Complex in Montana. One of three refuges that make up the Bison Range Complex, Ninepipe (pictured here) rests among the prairie potholes of the Mission Valley to serve primarily as a refuge and breeding ground for native birds. Photo by Dave Fitzpatrick, usfws. 

America’s public lands, like Yosemite National Park in California (pictured here), are some of the best places for stargazing. Joseph Taylor captured this stunner of the endless Milky Way galaxy floating above the granite monoliths – Washington Column and Half Dome – in Yosemite’s Stoneman Meadow. “To be a part of a beautiful moment on Earth like this one is always breathtaking, but to capture it with my camera was incredible,”says Joseph.

America’s first national monument, Devils Tower is a geologic feature that protrudes out of the rolling prairie in Wyoming. David Lane captured this amazing 16-image panorama of the monument illuminated by the Milky Way and green airglow. Of visiting Devils Tower, David says: “From ancient stories of the Pleiades taking refuge at the top to the generations of Native Americas that held it sacred, it had a deep sense of age and a stoic nature that impressed me. It’s so unexpected, so large in person, so steeped in traditions.”

Much of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding lands were once part of the Great Black Swamp. The 1,500 square mile Great Black Swamp was a vast network of forests, wetlands, and grasslands. The refuge manages about 6,500 acres of wetland, grassland, and wooded habitat. It provides valuable habitat for a diversity of waterfowl and other migratory birds, resident wildlife, and endangered and threatened species. It provides a place for people to enjoy wildlife-dependent activities and learn about the complexities of the natural world through education and interpretive programming. The refuge adds to the richness of the community by holding in trust a portion of the natural heritage of the Great Lakes ecosystem for the continuing benefit of the American people.

Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Skyline Rim near Factory Butte provides incredible, expansive views of the deserts of eastern Utah. The Henry Mountains offer a stout backdrop.

Photo: Brandon Jolley, BLM Rangeland Management Specialist