America’s State Parks in partnership with ReserveAmerica is proud to share the winners of the 8th annual America’s State Parks Photo Contest. The judging panel viewed over 5,100 entries representing six categories including Scenic & Seasons, Camping Traditions, Wildlife, Park Bloopers, Best Campsite, and Fan Favorite.
Explore the winners’ stories below and get inspired to plan a visit to a state park near you!
Grand Prize Winner
Photographer: Debbie Dillard-Bell
Location: Wailuku River State Park, HI
Prize: $5,000 from Black Folks Camp Too
Debbie captured this stunning photo with her Samsung SM-G975U camera. She’s had a passion for photography since high school. Along with travel, it remains one of her greatest loves. After retiring from long careers in 2007, Debbie and her husband set out to explore the U.S. and beyond. Here’s her story.
“One of our favorite places on the planet are the islands of Hawaii. We especially love Maui and The Big Island where we went this year to celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary. While on the island of Hawaii we visited Rainbow Falls in the Wailuku State Park as we usually do. Every time we visit the falls, they are always different. Cloudy, sunny, rainy, muddy, small, large, etc. We have tried many times to get the elusive “rainbow” in the falls picture and went to try again. This time the weather was beautiful, the sun was in the right place and the falls were flowing well. We came across a spot where someone had placed beautiful yellow hibiscus blooms on the wall in front of the falls and it was just too gorgeous of a picture to pass up. I didn’t get a rainbow but captured the essence of Hawaii in the shot.”
Congratulations to Debbie for the inspiring photo!
Scenic and Seasons Category Winner
Photographer: Dave Gombka
Location: Givhans Ferry State Park, South Carolina
Dave’s love for photography started as a child developing film with his father in the basement darkroom. His photos mostly focus on landscapes and nature. This was his first time at this state park.
“State Parks are a way to get outside and see things you might not see otherwise. I love taking road trips to explore new places, and hopefully get a good picture or two! The Edisto River is the longest free flowing blackwater river in North America. It was only fitting to take this scene at Givhans Ferry State Park, which sits on the banks of the Edisto. To the right is the River House, built near the site of the original plantation house from the late 1700’s.”
Dave has six more state parks to visit to earn the title of a South Carolina “Ultimate Outsider”.
Camping Traditions Category Winner
Photographer: Jerry Cowart
Location: Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach, CA (El Matador Beach)
The photographer is Jerry Cowart, and he took this photo with a Canon camera. He loves going to El Matador Beach, it’s one of his favorite Southern California beaches to take photos.
Jerry said “I took this candid shot of this fun-loving couple as they were taking “A Stroll On the Beach” as the sun was setting. I can still hear them laughing with the waves at the end of a beautiful day.”
He continues to say, “I have loved camping since I was a little kid. My parents introduced me to camping, and I have fond memories camping on the beach with my family. When I got married, and we started our family, my wife and I introduced our kids to the wonders of the great outdoors. Camping, hiking, fishing, and sitting around the open campfire eating smores, and laughing with family and friends has filled my life with a lifetime of memories.”
That’s the same kind of memories we all like to create and share at state parks, and why the judges selected it as this year’s winner.
Park Bloopers Category Winner
Photographer: Sara Harcourt
Location: Palisade State Park, Utah
Photo is titled “Open-mouthed” and was taken with an iPhone 12 by Sara Harcourt. She is a dietitian at the local hospital and mother of four kids from 4 years old to 12 years old. She shared the story behind the photo.
“Charlie, our 10-year-old, got up at 6 AM to get out on the lake and go fishing. He hadn’t had much luck the day before and really wanted to get out early enough to catch a big one. He was so pumped when he caught this one! His first big catch on Palisades this year. He pulled the face in the photo all on his own after holding the fish and seeing its mouth gape open. He even said “Mom, get a pic!” I think he knew it’d be one for the memory books. He released the fish back into Palisades after we got the photo.”
She also wanted to share, “We love state parks. Not as busy as the national parks and they are so beautiful. I just read an article about how being outside helps mental health. That is huge for me, as I’m trying to raise my children to be resilient and work through issues that cause anxiety. I see it in myself as well-I handle stress better when I spend time outdoors. And state parks provide this for us-an easy getaway to take a young family out.”
The judging panel appreciated the good laugh and story.
Wildlife Category Winner
Photographer: Kris Kenison
Location: Nerstrand Big Woods, Minnesota
The photo is titled “An Unexpected Monster” and was taken with an iPhone by Kris Kenison. Kris shares the story behind the intriguing title and photo.
“I have exercised an average of one hour a day every day for seven years as of this past April. From early on, my favorite way to check off that daily exercise box was to hike at State Parks, including taking pictures of scenery and wildlife along the way.
One of the features of the Ner-strand Big Woods State Park is a small waterfall known as the Hidden Falls. At the time you could walk across the top, or wade in at the bottom. I was attempting to take pictures from behind the falling water. I was looking to make sure I was secure in where I was leaning when I noticed a little movement”
When I realized where I nearly placed my hand, my breath left my body because I realized I had nearly gripped the biggest spider I had ever seen outside of a zoo. As an affirmed arachnophobe, I took some time to calm myself and made sure it wasn’t some trick of the light. I looked around and considered calling over some strangers to show them the monster I had nearly handled.
Instead, I took out my phone and got as close as I my nerves would allow. The result is this picture of what some online research suggests is a member of the biggest Minnesota spider species, the fishing spider.
After staring in awe and some primal fear, I walked away, but I have never looked at a rocky surface near a body of water the same since. And I’ve certainly not leaned on one without looking first.”
Thank you for the advice, Kris, and sharing this incredible creature.
Best Campsite Category Winner
Photographer: Nan Luo
Location: Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Nan is an optical engineer and works for an autonomous driving company. He loves outdoor activities and enjoys photography with his optical knowledge. He used his iPhone 12 to take this photo.
Nan spent several days with friends at a group campground in the Valley of Fire, enjoying hikes and dinner parties. One early morning, he stepped out of the tent and was captivated by the campground bathed in golden sunlight among the red rocks. He took this stunning photo of the pristine desert campsite, which looked as if it were on fire—perhaps a fitting inspiration for the park’s name!
Fan Favorite Category Winner
Photographer: Greg Martinez
Location: Rockhound State Park, New Mexico
This year, we introduced the Fan Favorite category to better engage our community. People could vote for their favorite photos on the contest website, and the top 50 votes were submitted to the judging panel, which narrowed it down to the top five favorites. These images were showcased at the National Association of State Park Directors’ annual conference, where an audience of over 400 attendees had the chance to vote. Greg’s “Red Rainbow at Sunset” was ultimately selected as the winner.
“I am a camp host and started out almost 10 years ago at Leo Carrillo State Beach in Malibu. I have traveled across 8 states working and visiting many campgrounds across the U.S. I love photographing nature—whether it’s the beach, the forest, or the desert. I’m drawn to all wildlife, stunning sunsets, and vibrant rainbows.
Two years ago I pulled into Rockhound State Park just to stay for one night, which turned into a week. I asked how to become a camp host. Rockhound State Park is a quiet peaceful place to stay. Where you can find geodes and thunder eggs. They also have some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever photographed. Some of the most amazing are during monsoon season. That’s when I took the “Red Rainbow at Sunset” photo. I looked out and saw the red mist and drizzle falling at sunset. I grabbed my iPhone, ran out to capture a picture, and turned around to see the red rainbow. I had never seen or knew there was such a thing as a red rainbow. So, I was able to get a couple shots before it disappeared.”
Thank you for sharing with everyone!
Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone who participated in the 2024 America’s State Parks Photo Contest!
Are you ready for an outdoor adventure? Plan your camping trip!