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Travel & Experiences

These winning photos of America’s national parks and public lands will make you want to go right now

By Mary Forgione
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Every year, the National Park Foundation asks travelers to share photos that capture their experiences in national parks and public lands during a yearlong contest. And every year these winning images inspire us to jump in the car and go.

A dreamy land- and sky-scape of Maine’s Acadia National Park is the grand prize winner of the 2017 Share the Experience photo contest. Manish Mamtani of Peabody, Mass., took the photograph that will be featured on the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.

Mamtani also won $10,000 as well as outdoor gear from Celestron and Osprey Packs and hotel stays at Historic Hotels of America.

“Hiking in the night sky not only fulfills my appetite for adventure, but also makes me appreciate my existence among the billions of galaxies, where our planet itself is no more than a tiny dot…,” Mamtani said in a statement.

Kristy Burns was awarded second place for her photo at Fort Union National Monument in New Mexico.
(Kristy Burns / Courtesy of the National Park Foundation)
Third place goes to Dorrie Henderson for this photo of Coconino National Forest in Arizona.
(Dorrie Henderson / Courtesy of the National Park Foundation)

Kristy Burns of Livingston, Texas, came in second with a photo of Fort Union National Park in New Mexico. She won $5,000. And Dorrie Henderson of Lafayette, Ind., placed third and took home $3,000 for a bucolic photo of Coconino National Forest in Arizona.

James Fong snapped this curious red fox near a campground in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. It was a fan favorite.
(James Fong / Courtesy of the National Park Foundation)
Mark Rutt shot this second fan favorite of a grizzly and cubs at Grand Teton National Park.
(Mark Rutt / Courtesy of the National Park Foundation)

Winners also were selected for being fan favorites (liked by online users) and for the following categories: adventure and outdoor recreation; historical and cultural; scenic, seasons and landscapes; family, friends and fun; wildlife and night skies.

More than 16,000 photos were submitted between May 4 and Dec. 31, 2017.

Kevin Gross won recognition in the adventure and outdoor recreation category for this shot of Denali National Park & Preserve in Alaska.
(Kevin Gross / Courtesy of the National Park Foundation)
Curtis Creath captured these totems at Pu`uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park on the island of Hawaii. The shot was recognized in the historical and cultural category.
(Curtis Creath / Courtesy of the National Park Foundation)

Feel like you missed out? The 2018 photo contest is on now through the end of the year. Check out the rules — and start snapping!

Here are the rest of the images that were recognized by the National Park Foundation, the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service.

In the scenic, seasons and landscapes category, Michael DeWitt won for this photo of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin.
(Michael DeWitt / Courtesy of the National Park Foundation)
Jess Curren was recognized in the family, friends and fun category for this shot taken in New Mexico’s White Sands National Monument.
(Jess Curren / Courtesy of the National Park Foundation)
William Sweet stole the wildlife category with this shot of a mink holding a brook trout taken in Acadia National Park.
(William Sweet / Courtesy of the National Park Foundation)
Jose Torres won the night skies category with this photo of the Milky Way over Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park, 70 miles west of Key West, Fla.
(Jose Torres / Courtesy of the National Park Foundation)

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Travel & Experiences
Mary Forgione

Mary Forgione launched and wrote The Wild, a weekly newsletter featuring insider tips on the best of Southern California beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains.

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