Snowy Owl looking for prey.
If there are cold enough temperatures and plenty of snow cover on the ground, the northern United States has a winter invasion of Snowy Owls. These are magnificent creatures and well worth your photographic time and attention. This series is filled with tips on how to find and photograph snowy owls.
Last Light on Long’s Peak and the Keyboard of the Winds, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
Thinking about a photography trip to one or more U.S. national parks this winter? You can benefit from the work I have done. Some national parks look better in the winter than others. You will want to make them a priority. After you read this article I recommend you also read the companion article: The Best National Parks to Photograph in Winter.
Bryce Canyon
Winter provides some wonderful photo opportunities in our national parks. But some national parks look much better in the winter than others. So if you haven’t gone into hibernation for the winter, here are the best national parks to go photograph this winter, grouped by state from the west to the east. There are a few bonus locations thrown in too. At the end I give you my “best of the best” list.
Cougar
Most wildlife are medium to dark in tone, making them a challenge to meter properly in the bright, white tones of winter. If you trust one of your camera’s automatic exposure modes, the odds are good you won’t get the best exposure. If you switch over to manual exposure and make the right decisions, you can get great exposures and better quality photos (more about that later).
Elk in the Snow, Horseshoe Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Metering dark toned wildlife in the snow is a major exposure challenge. It is usually best to avoid large “burned out” areas (washed out, featureless white) in a nature or landscape photograph, but with properly exposed snow, the wildlife can be so dark as to lose all texture. On other hand, metering for the wildlife can burn out the snow. So what do you do? And what about the complications of metering white animals?
Sunset Light on El Capitan
We spent most of the Christmas holiday in the Bay Area visiting family. When we left the Bay Area the morning of December 30, 1990, we decided to make a side trip to Yosemite before making the long drive home.
Aspen grove, Marshall Pass, Colorado.
Autumn is by far my favorite nature photography season. I take more pictures in the fall than any other season of the year.
Spanish Peaks and La Veta Colorado. March 8, 1993.
Yesterday, December 11, was International Mountain Day, and I missed it. I didn’t even know there is such a day. I love mountains!
Cougar, Wildlife Prairie Park, December 9, 1995.
It was 30 years ago today and I was face to face with a cougar. The windchill was -40° Fahrenheit at Wildlife Prairie Park. It was bone chillingly cold, even with Sorel Pac boots, thermal underwear, layers of clothes, and a winter parka. I had to take a break every hour or two to warm up. But it was worth it.
Aspen grove, Marshall Pass, Colorado.
Autumn is by far my favorite nature photography season. I take more pictures in the fall than any other season of the year.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio. November 3, 2017.
I had never been to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, so a friend and I decided to go there for the day
Horseshoe Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. October 29, 2012.
Trip with John, day 3. This overlook on deer mountain has a nice view of the valley (“park”) below.
Arkansas River along U.S. 50 between Salida and Cotapaxi Colorado. October 28, 2012.
Trip with John, day 2. When we were growing up, several times a year our parents would take us along the Arkansas River to get to the mountains in the west.
John (left) and Jim, O’Haver Lake sign, Colorado. October 27, 2012.
Trip with John, Day 1. My brother John had not been back to Colorado since 1969, so we decided it was time to go on a trip to Colorado and visit our favorite childhood places. The fall colors were gone, but this was the only time we could both make the trip. This sign marks a very special childhood place.
Seney National Wildlife Refuge. October 27, 2025.
Before driving home, I stopped at Seney National Wildlife Refuge which is just two miles north of Germfask Michigan. Seney is one of my favorite places on the planet. The roads that loop through the refuge close after October 20 and they are not open to foot traffic, but you can see two of the ponds from the road to the visitor’s center. I stopped to take this picture of one of them before pointing my car toward home. From May 15 to October 20 when the roads are open, I highly recommend Seney as a place to visit and take pictures.
Fernwood Botanical Garden. October 25, 2025.
This is the second day of my Michigan fall color trip and my first full day. I began at Fernwood Botanical Garden near Niles Michigan.
El Capitan Reflection, Yosemite National Park, California
I was in Yosemite during the fall, but the fall colors had barely begun.
Trillium Ravine Nature Preserve. October 24, 2025.
I left Iowa in the morning and arrived at Trillium Ravine near Buchanan Michigan at 5:38 pm. My plan was to capture fall colors before it got too dark. It turns out the best color was on the outside edge of the preserve. The interior of the preserve was still mostly green.
Cemetery, Shaftsbury Vermont, Shires of Vermont Scenic Byway. October 23, 2017.
I was on my way home from Acadia National Park and spent part of a day checking out the scenery in southwest Vermont. The Shires of Vermont Scenic Byway is a beautiful drive in the fall.
Covered Bridge over the Batten Kill River and Norman Rockwell’s Home. Arlington Vermont. October 23, 2017.
It was a beautiful fall day in Vermont and I was in Norman Rockwell country. Rockwell’s home is just a couple of miles west of Arlington Vermont.
Jesup Path, Acadia National Park. October 22, 2017.
My fall in Acadia National Park Series. This was my last day of 5 splendid days in Acadia National Park. When I was writing about the best national parks to visit in the fall, I checked articles by two photographers and eleven travel writers. The most recommended national park for fall colors is Acadia. (See the two links below.) After my 2017 trip to Acadia I can see why. I highly recommend a trip to Acadia in the fall.
Dawn on top of Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park. October 21, 2017.
My fall in Acadia National Park Series.
Dawn at Otter Cliff, Acadia National Park. October 20, 2017.
My fall in Acadia National Park Series.
Otter Cliff and Granite Ledges at Sunrise, Acadia National Park. October 19, 2017.
My fall in Acadia National Park Series.
Acadia National Park at Night. October 18, 2017.
My fall in Acadia National Park Series.
River of Sky. Manistique River Roadside Park south of Germfask Michigan. Fujichrome Velvia slide film. Friday, October 9, 1998.
Two years ago today, October 17, 2023, I stopped at the Manistique River Roadside Park just south of Germfask Michigan in search of an old photo location.
Point Iroquois Lighthouse, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. October 13, 2008.
My fall in Michigan series. The Point Iroquois Lighthouse is a great fall photo location in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Aspen, Moraine Park, Rocky Mountain National Park. October 13, 2022.
My fall in Colorado series.
Cut River Bridge in the Fall, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. October 12, 1994.
My fall in Michigan series. You will see this bridge again in four days when I post Michigan, October 16.
Moraine Park, Rocky Mountain National Park. October 12, 2007.
My fall in Colorado series.