Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Tracks weaving through the Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley

The Mesquite Dunes rise unexpectedly from the flatness of Death Valley: a contrasting softness against a rocky vista. At first, the dunes appear desolate but then you begin to see tracks weaving through the fine sand. But are they the tracks of tiny beetles or larger creatures?

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 01.2020
Date Uploaded: 07.2020
Photo Location: California, United States of America
Copyright: © Joanna Patterson-Cross