Crystal Lake in the Enchantments, Washington, United States  Sep 3, 2024

Sometimes it"s nice to get away. Thanks to environmentalist Howard Zahniser, Americans can do that in one of the country"s many wildernesses—areas sheltered from human activities. Pictured in today"s image, Crystal Lake is one such protected area. Located in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington, the Enchantments has more than 700 lakes and ponds and some of the best rock climbing in the Western United States. It"s also home to mountain goats, ptarmigan, pikas and numerous types of alpine flowers. If you want to see Alpine Lakes Wilderness yourself, however, be prepared to wait. Few permits are granted for day hikes, and of the 40,000 people who entered last year"s lottery for overnight permits, only 2,558 received one.

© Mitch Pittman/Tandem Stills + Motion

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