Dawn Wilson Photography

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Dawn Wilson Photography Professional wildlife, travel and nature photographer and outdoor writer based in Estes Park, Colo.

Saw this interesting young bull elk last week. How young he was became a topic of debate. A larger one-year-old spike or...
10/20/2026

Saw this interesting young bull elk last week. How young he was became a topic of debate. A larger one-year-old spike or a smaller two-year-old rag horn with odd-shaped antlers? The second photo shows his size comparison to another spike as they sparred. Either way, interesting set of antlers. After a discussion with a local ecologist, we decided to go with larger spike bull with unique antlers.

As I reached the end of a trail earlier this week, it started to rain. I was pleased with my timing as I was not really ...
10/17/2026

As I reached the end of a trail earlier this week, it started to rain. I was pleased with my timing as I was not really up for getting soaked on a trail. But just as I thought the rain would keep intensifying, the clouds shifted and the sun popped out. And sure enough, there was the rainbow. When I edited the photo, I noticed the second rainbow, now putting a frame above and below Estes Cone. How special! 🌈🏔️📸

I missed World Migratory Bird Day yesterday (even with multiple post-its and a note on my calendar 🤦‍♀️) so sharing this...
10/12/2026

I missed World Migratory Bird Day yesterday (even with multiple post-its and a note on my calendar 🤦‍♀️) so sharing this photo now of a mountain bluebird. They are one of the first migratory birds to arrive in the spring and one of the last to leave in the fall in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. All but just a handful of the migratory birds have left the area. We have plenty of beautiful year-round species, but I always miss the colorful birds of summer. Remember to turn off lights at night to help birds on their migration. And if you would like to track migration, including live maps, visit BirdCast from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Love the intense stare and goatee 😁 Bull elk in Estes Park.
10/11/2026

Love the intense stare and goatee 😁 Bull elk in Estes Park.

What a week. We celebrated Fat Marmot Week and National Park Week. We lost several talented actors, including Dolly Part...
08/30/2026

What a week. We celebrated Fat Marmot Week and National Park Week. We lost several talented actors, including Dolly Parton, a woman who did so much after coming from so little. (We need more Dolly Partons in this world.) We had a nearly total lunar eclipse. And we saw more challenges for our public lands and wildlife on those lands. (If you didn’t know, approximately 2,500 wild horses were rounded up this week on BLM land and 11 of those horses died in the process. The Department of the Interior is in talks to do a land swap in Yosemite National Park so a developer can build a road through a portion of the park. And someone was at it again with his pen signing orders to rename places.😕)

Here is to starting another week. Let’s hope it has lots of positive vibes and successes for you.

1. One of my favorite quotes from Dolly Parton. (She had a lot of great quotes.)
2. I haven’t yet edited my lunar eclipse photos from this week so here is one from a full ion rising earlier this year.
3. A morning view in Rocky Mountain National Park for National Park Week.
4. A few marmots for Fat Marmot Week.

Happy Birthday, National Park Service!! 🎉Thank you for preserving these beautiful places near and far all across the U.S...
08/26/2026

Happy Birthday, National Park Service!! 🎉

Thank you for preserving these beautiful places near and far all across the U.S. I have made many wonderful memories within park borders, and know the world is a better place with them.

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson established the National Park Service to “preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” Now there are more than 400 units across the U.S. that share the history and natural beauty of this country. Let’s continue to support the importance and heritage of America’s greatest idea.

As the National Park Service continues to celebrate National Park Week, I thought I would share some of my favorite imag...
08/24/2026

As the National Park Service continues to celebrate National Park Week, I thought I would share some of my favorite images from my local park, Rocky Mountain National Park. I know this park better than any other, not just because I live on its doorstep, but because I have been exploring its peaks and valleys since 1997 - five years before I even moved to Colorado. I know others have spent more or longer time within its borders, but I am grateful for the time I have had and the time I anticipate having in the years to come. Which photo is your favorite?

Today is the start of National Park Week. This month has been a whirlwind adventure in four national parks: Glacier, Yel...
08/22/2026

Today is the start of National Park Week. This month has been a whirlwind adventure in four national parks: Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Rocky. I am lucky to live outside of a national park and lead tours in a variety of national parks across the U.S. but it also means I recognize the challenges they face to maintain the resources and beauty each park protects. Keep supporting the parks, and remember that the National Park Service celebrates its 110th birthday on Aug. 25.

1. Elk on a ridge at sunrise in Rocky Mountain National Park
2. Mule deer in wild sunflowers at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
3. Elk on a foggy fall morning in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
4. Lupines along the trail to Harding Icefield in Kenai Fjords National Park

08/21/2026

Elk rut is here! The younger bulls are trying their luck in the first round. It is still warm and the big boys haven’t quite joined the party but happy to see the season on its way.

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