Lightning strikes near rock formation, Church Rock, Red Rock Park, New Mexico, USA
© Tim Fitzharris/Minden Picture
Struck by beauty
It's okay if this stormy shot stirs your spirit with holy awe: They call this wind-carved edifice Church Rock for a reason. Surrounded by an enchanting Southwestern American landscape, it's a sight that almost invites you to get lost out here - and if you look at a map of these parts, you'll see that's not too hard.
We're in the 'checkerboard' region of the US state of New Mexico, where patchwork borders separate sovereign Navajo Nation grounds and private land. For its part, Church Rock was the crown jewel of a state park before it was returned to the Navajo in 1989, while the city of Gallup now maintains the nearby parkland. Maybe it's simpler to think in terms of a more ancient boundary line: The Great Continental Divide, marking the border between North America's Atlantic- and Pacific-destined waters, crosses the famous Route 66 - also known as the Main Street of America.
Related Images
Rajgad Fort near Pune, India
Shoreline near Tofino on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
A rider hunts with an eagle in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia
Sunset at Counts Point in West MacDonnell Ranges, Northern Territory, Australia
Mua Caves in the Ninh Bình province of Vietnam
The village of Aguerd Oudad and the larger town of Tafraout in Morocco
An old farm in the Shetland Islands, Scotland
Path to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Basque Country, Spain, for the 'Game of Thrones' premiere
Bing Today Images
