Christmas Meadows Trail, Utah
We asked readers for their best images of the waterways and shorelines that link us into one. Our favorite won a place on the cover of our July/August Issue (and $500!). The winner, Robin Phillips, submitted a breathtaking photo of Christmas Meadows Trail. But we received—yes—a flood of great entries. Here are the three runners-up and seven more we loved.
“There had just been a spring storm so I knew Ostler Peak would be covered in snow that day. My grandfather and father took me here to fly-fish off Christmas Meadows trail when I was a boy. I had to wait until I turned 12—it was a rite-of-passage thing. Since then, I’ve taken my sons here, and this summer, I will take my grandson. Time is a river, with eddies and currents that draw our family together and bind us fast.”
Robin Phillips
Abiqua Falls, Oregon
“My family and I took a day-trip to these secluded falls. We stumbled upon a fire someone else had left behind, which is why my sister is only pretending to roast a marshmallow.”
Thomas Rousseau
Utah Lake, Utah
“Because a steel mill sat on its shores for more than half a century, Utah Lake has a reputation for being a dirty eyesore. I’ve always disagreed, and I love taking photos here to show people how beautiful it is.”
Christian Peay, 50
Cape Disappointment State Park, Washington
“I was 12 the first time I visited this peaceful cove. My dad took my siblings and me on a hike and let us think we had found it on our own. It’s a magical spot.”
Dina Basarab, 24