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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 1d

Autumn Memories

Golden Aspens
Dixie National Forest
Utah

#utah #autumn #fallcolors #nature #outdoors #photography

James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 2d

High in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln gaze across a rugged wilderness that has witnessed centuries of change. There's a quiet sense of awe here, where nature and history meet.

#southdakota #mtrushmore #landmark #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 3d

Flowing between Saint Mary Lake and Lower Saint Mary Lake, Divide Creek is a quiet connector in a wild landscape. At sunrise, looking west from just outside Glacier National Park, the sky catches fire and the mountains come alive with light.

#montana #glaicernationalpark #landscape #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 4d

Golden hour in Badlands National Park is pure magic. As the sun dips low, the rugged formations ignite with vibrant hues, and shadows deepen in the canyons, revealing textures millions of years in the making—a fleeting moment when the Badlands truly glow.

#southdakota #badlands #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 5d

The Yellow Mounds of Badlands NP glow with their mustard hue thanks to goethite, an iron-rich mineral. Once ancient soils formed after the sea drained 67 million years ago, they mark the shift from ocean to land—a vivid layer of history in the rugged Badlands.

#landscape #photography #southdakota

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 5d

Golden hour in Badlands National Park is pure magic. As the sun dips low, the rugged formations ignite with vibrant hues, and shadows deepen in the canyons, revealing textures millions of years in the making—a fleeting moment when the Badlands truly glow.

#landscape #badlands #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 5d

The black-tailed prairie dog is one of the Badlands’ most entertaining residents. These social little creatures live in large colonies called “towns,” chattering and popping in and out of their burrows across the prairie.

#wildlife #badlands #nationalpark #prairiedog #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 6d

The black-tailed prairie dog is one of the Badlands’ most entertaining residents. These social little creatures live in large colonies called “towns,” chattering and popping in and out of their burrows across the prairie.

#wildlife #badlands #southdakota #rodent #prairiedog #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 9d

Spirit of the American West
American Bison
Custer State Park
South Dakota
August 2025

Custer State Park is home to nearly 1,500 bison, one of the largest herds in the country Seeing them roam the rolling prairies feels like stepping back in time to the untamed American West
#wildlife #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 10d

Custer State Park is home to nearly 1,500 bison, one of the largest herds in the country. Seeing them roam the rolling prairies feels like stepping back in time to the untamed American West.

#wildlife #southdakota #custerstatepark #bison #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 11d

Running Eagle Falls, or “Trick Falls,” is a Glacier gem. In spring, two cascades flow—one over the cliff and one from a hidden cave. By late summer, the upper falls vanish, leaving water rushing mysteriously from the rock itself.

#waterfall #montana #glacier #nationalpark #landscape #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 13d

McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park is a crystal-clear stream winding through forests and canyons. Its turquoise waters tumble over polished rock into cascades and pools, perfectly reflecting Glacier’s wild, untamed spirit.

#waterfall #glacier #nationalpark #landscape #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 14d

McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park is a crystal-clear mountain stream that flows through lush forests and rugged canyons, reflecting the park’s wild beauty. Its turquoise waters rush over polished rock, creating cascades and pools. It’s a perfect place to take in Glacier’s untamed spirit.

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 14d

The Yellow Mounds of Badlands NP glow with their mustard hue thanks to goethite, an iron-rich mineral. Once ancient soils formed after the sea drained 67 million years ago, they mark the shift from ocean to land—a vivid layer of history in the rugged Badlands.

#badlands #landscape #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 15d

Bison at the Border
Badlands National Park
South Dakota

Nothing says ‘Welcome to the Badlands’ quite like a bison standing at the park entrance, wild, powerful, and perfectly at home.

#badlands #nationalpark #wildlife #bison #southdakota #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 17d

Prairie Light Show

Badlands National Park protects one of America’s largest mixed-grass prairies—a rugged ecosystem of tall and short grasses. These grasslands support a diverse array of plants and animals, including the American bison, prairie dogs, and numerous bird species.

#badlands #prairie

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 18d

Frist Light
Badlands National Park
South Dakota

Golden light spills across jagged cliffs and painted buttes as the Badlands wake with the sun. A sunrise here feels otherworldly as the shadows dance across ancient stone.

#badlands #sunrise #landscape #nationalpark #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 19d

Canyon Sunrise
Badlands National Park
South Dakota

Golden light spills across jagged cliffs and painted buttes as the Badlands wake with the sun. A sunrise here feels otherworldly as the shadows dance across ancient stone.

#sunrise #badlands #nationalpark #landscape #nature #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 20d

Sunrise Drive
Badlands National Park
South Dakota

Golden light spills across jagged cliffs and painted buttes as the Badlands wake with the sun. A sunrise here feels otherworldly as the shadows dance across ancient stone.

#sunrise #badlands #nationalpark #travel #landscape #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 20d

Ancient Hunters Overlook in Badlands National Park offers sweeping views and a rich history—archaeological evidence shows that Native hunters once used this site to spot, hunt, and process game, including bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and deer.

#dawn #landscape #southdakota #badlands #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 22d

Glacier Chipmunk
Goat Lick Overlook
Glacier National Park
Montana

#chipmunk #wildlife #photography #glaciernationalpark

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 24d

Cameron Falls, located in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada, is one of the park’s most iconic waterfalls. The falls tumble gracefully over layers of ancient Precambrian rock, some of the oldest exposed rock in the Canadian Rockies, dating back over a billion years.

#canada #waterfall

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 25d

Baring Creek Flow
Glacier National Park
Montana

#glacier #nationalpark #rapids #creek #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 26d

Custer State Park is home to one of the largest free-roaming bison herds in the country—nearly 1,500 strong. 🦬 Watching these giants roam the rolling prairies and Black Hills forests feels like stepping back in time to the untamed American West.

#CusterStatePark #SouthDakota #Bison #Photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 26d

Baring Falls may be small, but it’s pure Glacier magic. Just a short hike off Going-to-the-Sun Road, this delicate 25-foot cascade tumbles into a crystal-clear pool, framed by lush greenery and rugged canyon walls.

#GlacierNationalPark #BaringFalls #waterfall #nationalpark #photography

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