Hawksbill Mountain, Shenandoah National Park, United States May 17, 2026

Hawksbill Mountain, Shenandoah National Park, United States

How high is high enough for a great view? In the eastern United States, it doesn"t take much. Hawksbill Mountain is the highest point in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, United States, at more than 1,200 metres, showing how these older mountains rely on openness, not elevation. The park"s establishment in 1935 involved reforestation after extensive farming and logging. Today, much of that land has returned to forest, supporting mixed hardwoods, mountain laurel and rhododendron. What else? Some of the rocks found here date back over 1 billion years, among the oldest in the state. The park shelters over 200 bird species and 32 species of fish and remains dog-friendly, allowing pets in campgrounds and on most trails.

© John Baggaley/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

A window to the Pacific
Incan ingenuity
May 17, 2024Endangered Species Day
May 17, 2025A delta in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep 28, 2024Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida, USA
May 16, 2025Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Jan 9, 2024Gayathri Reservoir, Karnataka, India
Getting starry-eyed at the moon
Dec 29, 2025St. Gregory Church in Ani Ruins, Kars, Türkiye
May 1, 2025Maharashtra Day
Monsoon awakens the sleeping mountains
Dare to tread through the fairy flower?
Feb 23, 2025Mount Fuji Day
Sep 20, 2024Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, USA
Jul 16, 2025Temple of Philae, Aswan, Egypt
Mar 2, 2025Megalong Valley, Blue Mountains National Park, NSW, Australia
Dec 18, 2025Virupaksha Temple, Hampi, Karnataka
Welcome to the worlds yoga capital
Nov 14, 2024Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
Where are these spectacular peaks?
Nov 10, 2024Caribbean flamingos, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico
Feb 14, 2026Happy Valentines Day!
Oct 13, 2024Royal Alcázar of Seville, Spain
An unbreakable bond between siblings
Switzerland of India
Jul 2, 2025Spine-cheeked anemonefish
Jan 17, 2024Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany
A natural spotlight
Jun 20, 2026Arched iceberg, western Antarctic Peninsula, Southern Ocean
Jun 27, 2024Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence
Dec 11, 2024International Mountain Day
Apr 14, 2024Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA
Bridging the gap two ways
Like sands through the hourglass