Temple of the Sun, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, United States Dec 18, 2025

Rock layers formed over millions of years and a massive bend in the Earth"s crust give this desert a rare window into geologic history. This is Capitol Reef National Park in Utah, where sandstone cliffs and canyons preserve a striking record of the planet"s past. It was designated as a national park in 1971. Today"s featured image highlights the sandstone monoliths of Cathedral Valley, including the Temple of the Sun, part of this extraordinary, protected landscape.

© Austin Cronnelly/TANDEM Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Dec 18, 2023Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA
Dec 18, 2024Jim Corbett National Park, India

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar 3, 2025Yellow-billed hornbills in Kruger National Park, South Africa
Sep 6, 2025Rufous hummingbird
Feb 7, 2025Blue hour in Trondheim, Norway
Mar 10, 2024Prosecco Hills, Veneto, Italy
Jun 8, 2025Steller sea lions
Nov 14, 2025Mother manatee and calf
Aug 29, 2023American bison
Apr 27, 2024Leucistic Annas hummingbird
May 11, 2025Leopard mother grooming her cub, Jao Reserve, Botswana
Jan 3, 2026Staubbach Falls at Lauterbrunnen, Canton of Bern, Switzerland
Oct 30, 2024Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy
Jun 30, 2025Wolfe Creek Crater, Australia
Nov 1, 2025Bison, Yellowstone National Park
May 5, 2025Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada
Aug 13, 2024Telašćica Nature Park, Dugi Otok, Croatia
Jul 30, 2024San Gimignano, Siena, Italy
Nov 18, 2023Polar bear mother and cubs
Aug 24, 2025European fallow deer, England
Aug 30, 2025Whale shark
Sep 27, 2025Tank Lakes, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington, United States
Feb 5, 2025Scottish Blackface sheep, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
May 23, 2025Yellow-spotted river turtle, Amazon Region, Ecuador
Sep 11, 2025Peña Falcon rock, Monfragüe National Park, Spain
Aug 6, 2024Molokini crater, Maui, Hawaii, USA
Dec 21, 2023Ljubljana, Slovenia
Mar 29, 2025Superbloom in Carrizo Plain National Monument, California, United States
Mar 4, 2024Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Jun 24, 2025Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Sep 12, 2023North Sea at sunset, Norddorf, Germany
Sep 29, 2024West Cornwall Covered Bridge, Connecticut, USA