Grand Prize Winner: Yang Lu. Photo of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. (Yang Lu/National Park Foundation)

A breathtaking photograph of a sunrise over a remote location in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Utah was chosen as the $10,000 grand prize winner of the 2015 Share the Experience Photo Contest, hosted by the National Park Foundation, ACTIVE Network®, and Celestron.

The winning image was taken by Yang Lu of El Segundo, California, will be featured on next year’s “America the Beautiful” pass, which is used at more than 2,000 recreation spots.

“My photography is not just for recreation, it is to inspire people to explore these areas,” winning photographer Yang said in a statement. His photo was taken on a two-day backpacking trip in Glen Canyon with his wife.

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The annual contest encouraged amateur photographers to share their favorite experiences, views, moments and adventures in America’s national parks, wildlife refuges, historic sites and other public lands. More than 15,000 submissions were received this year.

The grand prize for the winning photograph was $10,000, followed by $5,000 and $3,000 for second and third place. The winners also received outdoor gear from Celestron, hotel packages courtesy of Historic Hotels of America, and an annual Federal Recreational Lands Pass.

Prizes were also awarded for fan favorite photos and six other category winners, including Adventure and Outdoor Recreation, Historical and Cultural, Scenic, Seasons, and Landscapes, Every Kid in a Park, Wildlife and Night Skies.

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The photo contest is an example of travelers can connect with America's parks through photography as part of the#FindYourParkmovement. Launched in March 2015, the #FindYourPark campaign aims to inspire people to connect and support America’s parks.

The 2016 Share the Experience Photo Contest is now accepting entries through December 31. For a full listing of prizing and rules, or to submit a photo, please visit www.sharetheexperience.org.

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