Thirteen photos that will make you fall in love with America all over again

Daily Kos Staff Emeritus

Thursday July 04, 2013 · 6:30 AM PDT

2013/07/04 · 06:30

no image description available — A June naturalization ceremony was held at Glacier Point in Yosemite, a magnificent setting for a special moment.

The U.S. Department of the Interior, the agency in charge of the nation's national parks and monuments, has a wonderfully rich mine of gorgeous photographs on its Instagram page, highlighting how diverse the landscapes and monuments of the United States truly are. On this Fourth of July, it seems fitting to take a look at some of the natural beauty that makes this country so unique—and makes the vision of preserving our natural places a truly patriotic mission for all of us.

Immigrants being sworn in at Yosemite as citizens.

A June naturalization ceremony was held at Glacier Point in Yosemite, a magnificent setting for a special moment.

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From the newest citizens of the United States, above, to those who died for their country, below:

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.

For more breathtaking beauty, from sea to shining sea, meander below the fold with me ....

From the Dept. of Interior about the photo below: "St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1931 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds and is one of the oldest refuges in the country. It includes coastal marshes, islands, tidal creeks and estuaries of seven north Florida rivers, and is home to a diverse community of plant and animal life. The refuge also has strong ties to a rich cultural past, and is home to the St. Marks Lighthouse, which was built in 1832 and is still in use today."

St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge, Florida.

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U.S. Dept. of Interior, on photo below: "Not all of our public lands are far from urban areas. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area chronicles two hundred years of history, from Native American culture, the Spanish Empire frontier and the Mexican Republic, to maritime history, and the California Gold Rush. It also provides some pretty killer views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco."

Golden Gate National Recreation Center, California.

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U.S. Dept. of Interior on photo below: "Sometimes a photo just screams 'wow.' Here a Humpback Whale shows us how to be the center of attention in Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska."

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska.

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A Sunday sunrise at the beautiful Organ Pipes National Monument in Arizona, below.

Organ Pipes National Monument, Arizona.

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And sunset as you'll see it nowhere else on earth, below, at the Great Fountain Geyser in Yellowstone National Park.

Great Fountain Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

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From the U.S. Dept. of Interior on Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge in Washington state, below: "It's a refuge, preserve and breeding ground for native birds. Dungeness boasts one of the world's longest natural sand splits, which softens the rough sea waves to form a quiet bay and harbor, gravel beaches, and tide flats. Dungeness Split is one of only a few such #geological formations in the #world which was formed during the Vachon Glacial era ten to twenty thousand years ago."

Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Washington.

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Sunlight filters through some clouds above the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, below.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park,Tennessee.

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Spring comes to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, with both flowers and snow as the seasons transition, below.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

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Clouds and sunlight play with shadow and light in the gorgeous Grotto in Zion National Park in Utah, below.

The Grotto, Zion National Park, Utah.

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U.S. Dept. of Interior on the photo below: "Volcanoes are monuments to Earth's origins, evidence that its primordial forces are still at work in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. During a volcanic eruption, we are reminded that our planet is an ever-changing environment whose basic processes are beyond human control."

Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii.

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U.S. Dept. of Interior on photo below: "Everything seems bigger in our national parks and that includes the moon seen here over Denali national park in Alaska."

Denali National Park, Alaska.

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Well, there's our 13. But I just can't help myself today. Any photo essay on the beauty of America's monuments and parks could not be complete without highlighting this beauty below, Lady Liberty holding out the torch at sunrise for immigrants, an iconic figure that's stood for America for generations.