Sure, it looks parched and depressing now, but just you wait 'till the wet season. Occasionally you'll find puddles to drink from, but be careful for they might be a little warmer than expected from the constant beating sun. Take in your surroundings during the wet season, for a sudden flash flood could sweep a full grown wolf away with ease.

Nothing will make you feel more like a King than standing with your toes over the edge of the sharp cliff of Lamar Overlook. The sunlight kisses your cheeks while the valley wind nips your nose with an unforgettable scene unfolding before you. However, with beauty comes danger. The rocks at the edge are sometimes loose, and the slightest tumble could be your last.

The tears of our ancestors fell to the ground as this ancient woodland burned to the ground, taking lives and homes with it. An eerie mist permenantly settled on the ground beneath tall, charred tree trunks. However, not all was lost, for small plants can commonly be seen sprouting from the ground, the pioneers of the forest's rebirth.

No, it's not a mirage. Sunlight reflects off of this small oasis a little too brightly to look at comfortably. The cool waters make for a nice hang out spot to escape the swealtering heat in the summer and attract prey. Small fish like Bluegill, Sunfish, and schools of minows are common in the waters, as well as one cranky little beaver.

Honestly, I have no idea how this enormous tree died. Being directly next to one of the only water sources for miles would make it more likely to flourish in my opnion, but I'm not Mother Nature. From a distance, this large skeleton is the only thing that appears over the golden horizon of the plains.

It's always cooler under the luscious shade of the forest, which seems to stretch on into infinity. In the fall, this coniferous forest is set ablaze with color, unlike the Douglas Fir Forest. Prey is abundant and range from individual hares to enormus herds of elk.

Mother Nature thins and eventually parts the trees into a beautiful clearing that we call the Soda Butte Vista. The grass grows taller and greener here without being shaded out by the canopies of the forest, and small prey animals gather here for additional protection due to the taller grasses.

Thick with massive evergreens, this forest is truely a beautiful place. Chilly in the summer from the uninterupted shade, and warm in the winter due to the heat being trapped by the treetops, it seems more like a tunnel than a forest.