News

Photo Contest Winner:
JUMPING FOR JOY   

A photo capturing a family jumping for joy bounded over 17 other finalists to win the Texas State Parks photo contest grand prize.

The yearlong contest, part of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s festivities celebrating 100 years of Texas State Parks, elicited more than 6,000 entries. A panel of judges chose four seasonal winners and runners-up, which were then entered into a public vote to select the grand prize winner.
Sam Holm of North Texas said his family is thrilled to have taken the winning photo, which captures a new family tradition.

“We took our first jump photo at Enchanted Rock,” Holm says. “We decided to try it again at Palo Duro Canyon State Park. We got it in one take.”

Holm, his wife and two daughters are avid state park fans and feel “big-time blessed” to have so many natural spaces to enjoy.

Now they’ll get to supercharge their state park vacations with their grand prize award: a Texas State Parks Pass, a $500 gift card to H-E-B donated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and a VIP curated experience in a Texas state park.

“We are so grateful to everyone who entered the photo contest,” says Whitney Bishop, TPWD social media coordinator. “There are thousands of special moments happening every day at Texas state parks and we feel privileged to be a part of that.”

The fall winner of the photo contest was @denas.moments for her photo from Lost Maples State Natural Area capturing the beauty and serenity of fall in the Hill Country park. “The time I spent exploring was one of my favorite days,” she says