Grass Against Ripples, Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Washington
The shadow cast by desert grass somewhat mimics the lines created by the ripples in the sand dunes of the Juniper Dunes Wilderness. The dunes, northeast of Pasco, Washington, are as much as 100 feet tall.

Sandy Ridge, Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Washington
Low angle sunlight highlights the tops of the ripples on the eastern side of this large sand dune in the Juniper Dunes Wilderness, northeast of Pasco, Washington. The dunes are the product of 10,000 years of erosion. Mammoth floods at the end of the last ice age deposited the sand; constant wind has sculpted it.

Beetle Tracks, Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Washington
A beetle leaves tracks in the sand as it walks in the Juniper Dunes Wilderness, northeast of Pasco, Washington. A brief break in the strong winds that shape the dunes preserves the tracks – for a moment.

Dune Contour, Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Washington
The Juniper Dunes Wilderness, northeast of Pasco, Washington, is home to the largest sand dunes in Washington state. The dunes, some of which are as much as 100 feet high, are located in what was essentially a flood basin at the end of the last ice age.

Red Sky, Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Washington
The setting sun reddens the sky above the summit of one of the large dunes in the Juniper Dunes Wilderness, northeast of Pasco, Washington. The dunes are made up of sandy debris from mammoth floods near the end of the last ice age 10,000 years ago.

Fiery Sunset, Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Washington
A dramatic, fiery sunset colors the sky above one of the many dunes in the Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Franklin County, Washington. The area is home to dozens of dunes composed of sand dropped by ancient glaciers and ice age floods and sculpted by 10,000 years of winds.

Sun over Sand Dune, Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Washington
The low-angled sun on a wind-blown pattern in the sand leads the eye to the top of one of the taller dunes in the Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Franklin County, Washington. The dunes, some of which are 100 feet tall, are comprised of sandy debris from glacial floods near the end of the last ice age.

Blowing Sand, Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Washington
The 7,100-acre Juniper Dunes Wilderness is home to the largest concentration of sand dunes in Washington state. Floods at the end of the last ice age severely eroded rock and soil, depositing it as sand northeast of Pasco. Strong winds shape the dunes. Blowing sand is visible as streaks in this image, especially in the upper left corner.

Curves, Juniper Dunes Wilderness, Washington
The low-angled lighting of the late-afternoon sun highlights the curves in the the Juniper Dunes Wilderness sand dunes. The wind-sculpted dunes began to form about 10,000 years ago, when glacial floods severely eroded rock and deposited it in the floodplain northeast of Pasco.