Saint Mary Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana

Early-morning storm clouds gather over Little Chief Mountain in the Lewis Range above Saint Mary Lake in Glacier National Park, Montana. While most mountain ranges have foothills, the Lewis Range jumps straight up from the flat Montana plains a few miles east of here. This lack of mountains to the east allows the first rays of light to illuminate the entire faade of these rugged peaks every morning. Many deep seldom-visited valleys within Glacier Park provide sanctuary to a small remnant population of Grizzly Bears and perhaps even a few wolverines. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats can often be seen high on the ridgelines. Along with the Bob Marshall Wilderness to the south and the Yellowstone-Teton ecosystem, Glacier provides some of the best remaining wildlife habitat in the 48 states.