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

Arch and Milky Way, Alabama Hills, California, United States

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

Tis the season for travel
Solo on the savanna
13 May 2024Fish River Canyon, Namibia
13 May 2025Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile

More Desktop Wallpapers:

The butterfly effect
A castle full of history
12 Dec 2025National Poinsettia Day
17 Mar 2025Happy St Patricks Day!
Panoramic Penzance
One on land, a million in space
27 Sep 2023Via Krupp, Capri, Italy
26 Jan 2025European beech forest, Belgium
Aug 28, 2023Dubrovnik, Croatia
9 Jun 2024Bardenas Reales Biosphere Reserve and Natural Park, Navarra, Spain
Crystal clear
13 Apr 2024Grand National
3 May 2024The Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA
30 Dec 2025Whooper swans, Kotoku Pond, Japan
Shark Awareness Day
3 Oct 2025Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Scotland
18 Jul 2025Staghorn coral in shallow ocean
13 May 2024Fish River Canyon, Namibia
22 May 2024International Day for Biological Diversity
15 Dec 2025Spiegelgracht canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands
6 Jan 2024Oud-West neighbourhood, Amsterdam, Netherlands
17 May 2024Endangered Species Day
16 Apr 2026Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
3 Feb 2024Carnival of Venice
27 Dec 2023Kirkjufell, Iceland
Let the Great Backyard Bird Count begin!
19 Nov 2023Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Estonia
Zebras enjoying their day
12 Mar 2025Château de Sully-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France
A rainbow that’s worth the rainfall