Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California, United States Dec 13, 2025

Every masterpiece needs a brushstroke to tie it together. For Yosemite National Park, in the United States, that stroke is the Merced River—painting reflections of granite cliffs, pine forests and waterfalls across its canvas. One of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers, this waterway begins high in the Sierra Nevada. It gathers meltwater and winds 233 kilometres west through Yosemite Valley into California"s Central Valley.

© Ron and Patty Thomas/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Dec 13, 2023Svolvaer, Lofoten Islands, Norway
Dec 13, 2024St. Stephens Basilica, Budapest, Hungary

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 5, 2024Monarch butterflies
Nov 29, 2023Schwerin Castle on Lake Schwerin, Germany
Mar 7, 2025Plum blossoms, China
Mar 23, 2025Lightning and storm clouds at sunset near Bowman, Nebraska, United States
May 11, 2024Indigo bunting
May 22, 2025Baobab trees at sunset, Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
Nov 5, 2023Playa del Silencio, Spain
Jun 3, 2025Bicycles on a bridge in Utrecht, Netherlands
Nov 14, 2023Russell lupines, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
Oct 6, 2023Taughannock Falls State Park, New York, USA
Sep 17, 2024Kerala, India
Jun 12, 2025Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Texas, United States
May 12, 2024Guanaco mother and baby
Dec 22, 2024Crystal Pier, San Diego, California, United States
Apr 10, 2025Red fox cubs near their den
Aug 23, 2025Greater flamingos, Camargue Regional Nature Park, France
Mar 3, 2025Yellow-billed hornbills in Kruger National Park, South Africa
Dec 3, 2024Amber Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Jan 6, 2024A male chaffinch in a crab apple tree
Sep 15, 2023Glenariff Forest Park, County Antrim, Ireland
May 2, 2025Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil
Oct 13, 2024Royal Alcázar of Seville, Spain
Sep 12, 2024Dolphin pod near Réunion island
Jan 24, 2025Strokkur geyser in Iceland
Jan 22, 2025Ad-Deir, Petra, Jordan
Apr 25, 2024Adélie penguins, Antarctica
Jun 27, 2024Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence
Feb 10, 2025Art Installation of umbrellas, London, England
Jun 23, 2025Elbe river in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
Jul 12, 2024Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, USA