#LBJintothewild

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act of 1964, I had the idea to host an Instagram photo contest where participants shared with us a favorite original snapshot while visiting one of the National Parks, Forest, or Wilderness areas across the country. So

“If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." -President Lyndon B. Johnson, Signing of the Wilderness Act into law on September 3, 1964

The Wilderness Act, signed into law on September 3, 1964, established the National Wilderness Preservation System, which set aside an initial 9.1 million acres of wilderness in 13 states. During the past 50 years, over 100 million additional acres in 44 states have expanded these protected wilderness areas for millions of Americans to enjoy.

The winner of the #LBJintothewild photo contest was Myke Hermsmeyer of Montana! His photograph (first photo on the grid below) won over the staff at LBJ Preseidential Library. Myke said of his photograph: “This is what 4,000 feet of climbing in 4 miles earns you in Montana… celebrating the easy access to incredible mountain running in the Great Bear Wilderness outside of Glacier National Park. Jimmy Grant (pictured) is celebrating #Wilderness50 by running in all of Montana’s wilderness areas this summer.”