National Park Photo Contest Winners – 2023

Mikaela Ruland
·4 min read

This article originally appeared on National Park Trips

In 2023, National Park Trips received 2,500 spectacular photo entries to the annual National Park Photo Contest presented by Tamron. It was a difficult task to choose the winning photos because of the high quality of entries, but the judges have selected this year's top photos. The best photographers in each category, Landscape, Night Skies and Wildlife, were awarded their choice of a Tamron camera lens including the Tamron 150-500mm (Model A057), Tamron 150-600mm (Model A022) or Tamron 50-400mm (Model A067), and are featured in the National Park Journal magazine.

In addition, 30 honorable mention winners receive certificates and are featured on our national park websites.

From shooting in the middle of the night in the remote North Cascades to patiently waiting for the right sunset moment in a snow-dusted Zion to capturing the light in Valley Forge as a bird makes its home in a cannon, our 2023 National Park Photo Contest winners all had to share one thing in common in getting their spectacular shots: a sense of adventure.

Landscape Photography Winner

Rachel Ross from Salt Lake City, Utah
Zion National Park

Towers of the Virgin after a dusting of snow during sunset in Zion National Park
(Photo: Rachel Ross)

Towers of the Virgin after a dusting of snow during sunset.

Wildlife Photography Winner

Ryan Mungin from Royersford, Pennsylvania
Valley Forge National Historical Park

A House Wren perched in a cannon looks out at a meadow at Valley Forge National Historical Park.
(Photo: Ryan Mungin)

“My dad and I go looking for wildlife at sunrise on Sundays every week. That week we visited Valley Forge National Historical Park. We were in a spot where there were cannons and a very large meadow. After a little while of walking around in the beautiful golden sunlight I saw a little shape sticking out of a cannon. I held up my lens and looked closer. What I saw was a little House Wren looking out upon the large and beautiful meadow. I took the photo with a Sigma 150-600mm lens and a Canon 7D.” Ryan Mugin

Night Skies Photography Winner

Moharnab Saikia from Woodinville, Washington
North Cascades National Park

Celestial Symphony: Nightfall at Liberty Bell Mountain from the Washington Pass Overlook in North Cascades National Park.
(Photo: Moharnab Saikia)

Celestial Symphony: Nightfall at Liberty Bell Mountain from the Washington Pass Overlook

Landscape Honorable Mentions

2023 Honorable Mention Landscape Photos by Jennifer Fordyce, Ann Marie Seyer, J Fritz Rumpf, Benjamin Gilliland, Jordan Lefler, Xiangyang Zhu, Rajani Ramanathan, Becky Stinnett, Mark Anthony Engtai and Derek Mathewson.

End of Dunes-Day: Death Valley National Park.
End of Dunes-Day: Death Valley National Park. (Photo: J Fritz Rumpf)
Fall in Denali National Park.
Fall in Denali National Park. (Photo: Benjamin Gilliland)
Tie-dye sunrise on Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park.
Tie-dye sunrise on Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. (Photo: Jordan Lefler)
Snow capped mountain and dunes, Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Snow capped mountain and dunes, Great Sand Dunes National Park. (Photo: Xiangyang Zhu)
Grand Teton National Park sunrise over clouds.
Grand Teton National Park sunrise over clouds. (Photo: Rajani Ramanathan)

“At sunrise, I was driving around the park looking for a good spot to photograph but there was a thick layer of fog on the ground and clouds shrouding everything around the Tetons and nothing was visible. I started driving away to look for other spots and it so happened I looked at my rear view mirror and spotted that the Tetons were starting to emerge through on top of the clouds because I had gained higher elevation. I quickly parked and composed and waited for the rising sunlight to hit the clouds and the Tetons and it was magical.” Rajani Ramanathan

Second Beach Sunset, Olympic National Park.
Second Beach Sunset, Olympic National Park. (Photo: Becky Stinnett)
Incoming evening storm in Badlands National Park.
Incoming evening storm in Badlands National Park. (Photo: Jennifer Fordyce)
Immersed in the grandeur of nature's masterpiece at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
Immersed in the grandeur of nature’s masterpiece at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska. (Photo: Mark Anthony Engtai)

“Every vista is a brushstroke of awe-inspiring beauty.” Mark Anthony Engtai

The beautiful subway in Zion National Park.
The beautiful subway in Zion National Park. (Photo: Derek Mathewson)
The light at dawn peeks through the Window Trail at Badlands National Park.
The light at dawn peeks through the Window Trail at Badlands National Park. (Photo: Ann Marie Seyer)

Wildlife Honorable Mentions

2023 Honorable Mention Wildlife Photos by Nathan Harrington, Candace Swimmer, Mathew Nichols, Tina Zajac, Alan Taylor, Zachary Tyszkiewicz, Jordan Lefler (2), Amanda Paul and Benjamin Gilliland.

Three heads are better than one. Pronghorn at Grand Teton National Park.
Three heads are better than one. Pronghorn at Grand Teton National Park. (Photo: Nathan Harrington)

“I went to Mormon Row to get the classic shot of the barn in front of the Tetons. The morning clouds didn’t cooperate but these pronghorn were feeling photogenic.” Nathan Harrington

Two brown bear cubs deep in discussion in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.
Two brown bear cubs deep in discussion in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska. (Photo: Candace Swimmer)
Baby sea-star and its elder under the setting sun on Kalaloch Beach, Olympic National Park.
Baby sea-star and its elder under the setting sun on Kalaloch Beach, Olympic National Park. (Photo: Mathew Nichols)
This little Kemp's Ridley hatchling is making its way into the gulf at Padre Island National Seashore.
This little Kemp’s Ridley hatchling is making its way into the gulf at Padre Island National Seashore. (Photo: Tina Zajac)
Elk at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Elk at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Photo: Alan Taylor)

“The rut season keeps the bull elk very busy chasing off and challenging his competition. This bull was determined to not let any obstacle stand in his way as he worked to keep his harem of cows. He effortlessly hops over a fence at the Oconaluftee Visitors Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.” Alan Taylor

A bear enjoys a morning stroll on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.
A bear enjoys a morning stroll on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. (Photo: Jordan Lefler)
A coyote's orange fur contrasts beautifully on a bluebird day, against the backdrop of snow-covered Mt. Moran in Grand Teton National Park.
A coyote’s orange fur contrasts beautifully on a bluebird day, against the backdrop of snow-covered Mt. Moran in Grand Teton National Park. (Photo: Amanda Paul)
Grizzly 399 and her coy in the rain at Grand Teton National Park.
Grizzly 399 and her coy in the rain at Grand Teton National Park. (Photo: Benjamin Gilliland)
Ground squirrel in Denali National Park.
Ground squirrel in Denali National Park. (Photo: Zachary Tyszkiewicz)

“While hiking in Denali National Park, this adorable arctic ground squirrel popped up and posed for us in front of the amazing mountainous backdrop.” Zachary Tyszkiewicz

A mountain goat poses in front of Sperry Chalet in Glacier National Park.
A mountain goat poses in front of Sperry Chalet in Glacier National Park. (Photo: Jordan Lefler)

Night Skies Honorable Mentions

2023 Honorable Mention Night Skies Photos by Ross Steensland, William Fenwick, Rick Wong, Mathew Nichols, Christian Maldonado, Jay Huang (2), Ken Conger, Nickolas Warner and Tony Wu.

Milky Way over Mount Rainier National Park.
Milky Way over Mount Rainier National Park. (Photo: William Fenwick)
Milkyway and bioluminescence at Ruby Beach Olympic National Park.
Milkyway and bioluminescence at Ruby Beach Olympic National Park. (Photo: Rick Wong)
Milky Way over a saguaro cactus at Saguaro National Park East.
Milky Way over a saguaro cactus at Saguaro National Park East. (Photo: Christian Maldonado)
Milky Way over hikers on Half Dome in Yosemite.
Milky Way over hikers on Half Dome in Yosemite. (Photo: Jay Huang)

“We were having a great hiking and photographing event in Yosemite National Park where we captured hikers bravely ascending Half Dome. As the hikers reached the summit, the Milky Way aligned perfectly with the top of Half Dome. I used the PlanIt app to pre-visualize the stars. This vertical image consists of 3x 50mm horizontal shots. The foreground portion of light trail was stacked from 439 images of timelapse.” Jay Huang

Twisting hairpins winding their way up Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Twisting hairpins winding their way up Lassen Volcanic National Park. (Photo: Ross Steensland)
Winter night sky among the Death Valley badlands at Zabriskie Point.
Winter night sky among the Death Valley badlands at Zabriskie Point. (Photo: Nickolas Warner)
Catching Light. Joshua Tree National Park.
Catching Light. Joshua Tree National Park. (Photo: Tony Wu)
Lucky shooting star at Shi Shi Beach in the Olympic National Park.
Lucky shooting star at Shi Shi Beach in the Olympic National Park. (Photo: Mathew Nichols)
Milky Way Arch over Kilns at Death Valley.
Milky Way Arch over Kilns at Death Valley. (Photo: Jay Huang)

“The charcoal kilns complex in Wildrose Canyon is among the more remarkable historical-architectural features of Death Valley National Park. These ten beehive shaped masonry structures, about 25 feet high, are believed to be the best known surviving example of such kilns to be found in the western states. I used an extra wide lens to capture the Milky Way arch over the lighted kilns.” Jay Huang

Captivating illumination in Yellowstone
Captivating illumination in Yellowstone (Photo: Ken Conger)

“Celebrating 150 Years of Yellowstone National Park with the Pretty Shield Foundation Mountain Time Arts Lighting of the Tepees.” Ken Conger

View the 2022 Winning Photos

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