Arch and Milky Way, Alabama Hills, California, United States May 13, 2026

In today"s image, the granite arches of the Alabama Hills frame the Milky Way over a rugged landscape in California"s eastern Sierra Nevada. Famous for its rounded boulders and weathered rock formations, this area formed when molten rock cooled deep underground around 100 million years ago. Water and wind gradually shaped the stone into the smooth shapes seen today. Visitors can explore the natural arches, hike among the rocks, capture photographs of the unique landscape, ride horses or mountain bikes and enjoy seasonal displays of wildflowers.

© Tim Fitzharris/Minden Pictures

palette

Today in History

Where are these birds headed?
Solo on the savannah
May 13, 2024Fish River Canyon, Namibia
May 13, 2025Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Little Island, Big Sea
Bryce Canyon hoodoos in winter
Jun 13, 2025Vila Franca Islet, São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal
Sep 10, 2024Vasco da Gama Bridge, Lisbon, Portugal
Sep 5, 2025Happy Onam!
Jul 4, 2024Dam, lake and mountains in Kerala
Dec 7, 2023Verdon Gorge, France
Aug 12, 2026World Elephant Day
Jan 29, 2024Gollinger Waterfalls, Salzburg, Austria
Apr 12, 2026International Day of Human Space Flight
Jun 29, 2024Tour de France 2024
Dec 19, 2023Castle Square, Old Town, Warsaw, Poland
Beauty comes in trees
An endless stretch of sky
Behold the architectural marvel
Jul 11, 2024World Population Day
Aug 24, 2023Shark Fin Cove, California, USA
Mar 13, 2025Marine iguanas, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Jul 10, 2024Collared aracari
Jul 12, 2024Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, USA
Stepping back in time
May 8, 2025World Donkey Day
Giants of the Southern Ocean
Oct 5, 2025Jahangir Mahal, Orchha, Madhya Pradesh
Jun 17, 2025Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States
Nov 30, 2024Male white rhinoceroses, Lake Nakuru, Kenya
Jul 27, 2024Vineyards above the Moselle River, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
May 21, 2025International Tea Day
Feb 21, 2025Champaka Sarasi, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
When life imitates art