Summary
- Dianne Slotten won the contest’s grand prize.
- Her photograph was taken at Catalina State Park in Arizona.
- The selection includes seven award-winning images.
Dianne Slotten won the grand prize in the 2026 America’s State Parks Photo Contest, which attracted close to 10,000 entries.
Aspira and the National Association of State Park Directors announced the winners of the tenth edition on October 2. The selection comprises seven winning images: the Grand Prize and six category winners.
Grand Prize — Misty Hike to Dripping Springs
Dianne Slotten won the grand prize with an image from Catalina State Park in Arizona. The hikers lead the eye towards the mountains, while light breaking through the clouds reveals successive layers of the landscape.
The Park Experience
The child and their movement become the centre of a scene of exploration. The low viewpoint and the presence of water draw the viewer into the action.
Wild Portraits
The animal stands apart from the soft, out-of-focus background. Its gaze towards the lens and the light on its coat give the image the clear structure of a portrait.
Shores & Waterways
The diagonal boardwalk connects the foreground to the horizon. Water and vegetation hold the viewer’s attention in the lower frame, balanced against the open sky.
Peaks & Plains
Successive hills create rhythm and depth. The flowering foreground adds texture, while low light separates the curves of the terrain.
Action & Adventure
The rock walls frame the movement and give the scene scale. The human presence turns the passage into an experience as well as a geological formation.
Fan Favorite
Dark figures along the shore allow the sky and its reflections to dominate. The scene connects the landscape with a quiet moment spent outdoors.
The prizes
Slotten receives a $10,000 cash prize. Each of the six category winners receives a $500 REI gift card courtesy of Aspira.
What we think
The selection brings together different photographic approaches: landscape, wildlife portraiture and human activity. For nature photographers, these images offer opportunities to study how light, scale and the placement of people change the way a place is read.
Frequently asked questions
Which photograph won the grand prize?
Dianne Slotten’s “Misty Hike to Dripping Springs”, photographed at Catalina State Park in Arizona.
How many images received awards?
Seven: one Grand Prize image and six category winners.
Are these photographs of US national parks?
The contest focuses on state parks, the parks of individual US states. It is not a contest exclusively about National Parks.
