Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 16h

Tucked away along Highway 2 in the Cascades, Deception Falls is a hidden gem of Washington’s wilderness. Crystal-clear water rushes through moss-covered rock and cedar forest, filling the air with the sound of pure mountain energy.
#waterfall #washingtonstate #landscape #nature #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 2d

The Skykomish River in autumn feels like stepping into a Pacific Northwest daydream. Beautiful fall colors line the riverbanks, mirrored in water that flows clear and cold from the Cascades. It’s nature’s quiet reminder to slow down and enjoy the season.

#washington #autumn #landscape #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 2d

The Skykomish River in autumn feels like stepping into a Pacific Northwest daydream. Beautiful fall colors line the riverbanks, mirrored in water that flows clear and cold from the Cascades. It’s nature’s quiet reminder to slow down and enjoy the season.

#washingtonstate #autumn #fall #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 4d

Reflections of the Season
Skykomish River
Washington
October 2025

#washingtonstate #fallcolors #autumn #nature #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 5d

Cherry Creek Falls near Duvall, Washington, is a hidden autumn gem. The hike through the forest winds beneath golden maples and fiery red alder leaves before opening to a peaceful cascade tumbling into a clear pool. It's the perfect Pacific Northwest adventure.

#waterfall #autumn #PNW #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 7d

Cherry Creek Falls near Duvall, Washington, is a hidden autumn gem. The trail winds through golden maples and red alder leaves before revealing a peaceful waterfall pouring into a clear pool—an unforgettable Pacific Northwest escape.

#Washington #PNW #FallColors #waterfall #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 7d

Cherry Creek Falls near Duvall, Washington, is a hidden autumn gem. The trail winds through golden maples and red alder leaves before revealing a peaceful waterfall pouring into a clear pool—an unforgettable Pacific Northwest escape.

#Washington #PNW #FallColors #waterfall #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 9d

Autumn Memories

Golden Aspens
Dixie National Forest
Utah

#utah #autumn #fallcolors #nature #outdoors #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 10d

High in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln gaze across a rugged wilderness that has witnessed centuries of change. There's a quiet sense of awe here, where nature and history meet.

#southdakota #mtrushmore #landmark #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 10d

Flowing between Saint Mary Lake and Lower Saint Mary Lake, Divide Creek is a quiet connector in a wild landscape. At sunrise, looking west from just outside Glacier National Park, the sky catches fire and the mountains come alive with light.

#montana #glaicernationalpark #landscape #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 11d

Golden hour in Badlands National Park is pure magic. As the sun dips low, the rugged formations ignite with vibrant hues, and shadows deepen in the canyons, revealing textures millions of years in the making—a fleeting moment when the Badlands truly glow.

#southdakota #badlands #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 12d

The Yellow Mounds of Badlands NP glow with their mustard hue thanks to goethite, an iron-rich mineral. Once ancient soils formed after the sea drained 67 million years ago, they mark the shift from ocean to land—a vivid layer of history in the rugged Badlands.

#landscape #photography #southdakota

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 13d

Golden hour in Badlands National Park is pure magic. As the sun dips low, the rugged formations ignite with vibrant hues, and shadows deepen in the canyons, revealing textures millions of years in the making—a fleeting moment when the Badlands truly glow.

#landscape #badlands #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 13d

The black-tailed prairie dog is one of the Badlands’ most entertaining residents. These social little creatures live in large colonies called “towns,” chattering and popping in and out of their burrows across the prairie.

#wildlife #badlands #nationalpark #prairiedog #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 14d

The black-tailed prairie dog is one of the Badlands’ most entertaining residents. These social little creatures live in large colonies called “towns,” chattering and popping in and out of their burrows across the prairie.

#wildlife #badlands #southdakota #rodent #prairiedog #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 17d

Spirit of the American West
American Bison
Custer State Park
South Dakota
August 2025

Custer State Park is home to nearly 1,500 bison, one of the largest herds in the country Seeing them roam the rolling prairies feels like stepping back in time to the untamed American West
#wildlife #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 17d

Custer State Park is home to nearly 1,500 bison, one of the largest herds in the country. Seeing them roam the rolling prairies feels like stepping back in time to the untamed American West.

#wildlife #southdakota #custerstatepark #bison #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 19d

Running Eagle Falls, or “Trick Falls,” is a Glacier gem. In spring, two cascades flow—one over the cliff and one from a hidden cave. By late summer, the upper falls vanish, leaving water rushing mysteriously from the rock itself.

#waterfall #montana #glacier #nationalpark #landscape #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 21d

McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park is a crystal-clear stream winding through forests and canyons. Its turquoise waters tumble over polished rock into cascades and pools, perfectly reflecting Glacier’s wild, untamed spirit.

#waterfall #glacier #nationalpark #landscape #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 21d

McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park is a crystal-clear mountain stream that flows through lush forests and rugged canyons, reflecting the park’s wild beauty. Its turquoise waters rush over polished rock, creating cascades and pools. It’s a perfect place to take in Glacier’s untamed spirit.

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 22d

The Yellow Mounds of Badlands NP glow with their mustard hue thanks to goethite, an iron-rich mineral. Once ancient soils formed after the sea drained 67 million years ago, they mark the shift from ocean to land—a vivid layer of history in the rugged Badlands.

#badlands #landscape #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 23d

Bison at the Border
Badlands National Park
South Dakota

Nothing says ‘Welcome to the Badlands’ quite like a bison standing at the park entrance, wild, powerful, and perfectly at home.

#badlands #nationalpark #wildlife #bison #southdakota #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 25d

Prairie Light Show

Badlands National Park protects one of America’s largest mixed-grass prairies—a rugged ecosystem of tall and short grasses. These grasslands support a diverse array of plants and animals, including the American bison, prairie dogs, and numerous bird species.

#badlands #prairie

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 26d

Frist Light
Badlands National Park
South Dakota

Golden light spills across jagged cliffs and painted buttes as the Badlands wake with the sun. A sunrise here feels otherworldly as the shadows dance across ancient stone.

#badlands #sunrise #landscape #nationalpark #photography

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James Marvin Phelps @jamesmarvinphelps.bsky.social · 27d

Canyon Sunrise
Badlands National Park
South Dakota

Golden light spills across jagged cliffs and painted buttes as the Badlands wake with the sun. A sunrise here feels otherworldly as the shadows dance across ancient stone.

#sunrise #badlands #nationalpark #landscape #nature #photography

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