Lake in the Jasper National Park, Canada

PD Photo: scenery from Jasper National Park, Canada, wallpaper image size 1024x768

Jasper, the commercial centre of Jasper National Park which is located in the Canadian Rockies, is in western Alberta, Canada. The park is in the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountain ranges. Located in in the Athabasca River valley, Jasper is 362 kilometers west of Edmonton and 290 kilometers north of Banff, Alberta.

Jasper National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the other national and provincial parks of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. It is a cogglomeration of typical mountain landscapes consisting of mountain peaks, limestone caves, canyons, waterfalls, glaciers, lakes and other breathtaking toursit attractions.

One of the most visited tourist attractions in the Jasper National Park is Mount Edith Cavell in the Athabasca River and Astoria River valleys. The north face of Mt. Edith Cavell can be seen after a short hike to the Cavell Meadows.

The Tonquin Valley trails are located about one kilometer before the Mt. Edith Cavell road end. the north end of Cavell Lake is located at a short distance down the gravel path, and a small bridge across a stream that flows to the lake. Scenic views of the Cavell Lake in the foreground and the Mt. Edith Cavell massif in the background can be seen from here.

Milford Sound, New Zealand

Photo: Milford Sound, one of New Zealand's most famous tourist destinations

Milford Sound is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.

In May 2008, Milford Sound was named the top destination in the world, determined based on the opinions of TripAdvisor's six million members, the world's largest online travel community, ahead of Cayo Largo in Cuba, Rhodes in Greece, and California's Lake Tahoe. Milford Sound topped the list of 100 global destinations.

Fryxellsee, Antarctic blue ice covering Lake Fryxell

The blue ice covering Lake Fryxell, in the Transantarctic Mountains, comes from glacial melt-water from the Canada Glacier and other smaller glaciers. The freshwater stays on top of the lake and freezes, sealing in briny water below.

Français: Antarctique: La glace bleue couvrant le Lac Fryxell, dans la Chaîne Transantarctique, vient des eaux de fonte du Glacier Canada et d'autres glaciers plus petits. L'eau fraîche se trouve au sommet du lac et gèle, scellant une eau saumâtre située en-dessous.

Source Date: 10.12.2002

Source Author: Joe Mastroianni, National Science Foundation

Permission for reusing this image: This image is a work of a National Science Foundation employee, taken or made during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. Federal Government, the image is in the public domain images and can be copied from here and used by any person.