I have posted many photos from Death Valley, and Badwater Basin. Besides being a really interesting location to visit, it tends to be very quiet, even when people are present. If you are lucky enough to be there at dawn, dusk, or night, the silence is like nowhere else. 

This is a statue in the Japanese Tea Garden inside of Golden Gate Park. I can imagine this could get a little busy on the weekends, but I was here on a weekday morning when they opened the gardens. The entire garden is very peaceful but I thought this especially calming. 

Death Valley again! This is the Racetrack, which is in a remote section of the park. The Road to get here requires a high clearance 4wd vehicle, so that limits the number of people who visit. When I arrived here before sunset, it was incredibly cold and windy. I was dreading getting up in the middle of the night to shoot but I did and I was so glad because the wind had completely stopped. There was no one else out there overnight so I had the entire place to myself. The skies are really dark here so you can see all the stars and Milky Way in complete solitude. 

This is Cape Creek Bridge in Oregon, which carries Highway 101, along the coast. The fog that frequents this area made for an even more serene photo. 

The Portland Japanese Garden, can actually get quite crowded with people admiring the perfectly manicured plants, trees, and bushes, but there are places within the garden that offer some quiet. 

Joshua Tree National Park has become a very popular location for tourists, but around sunset, the place starts to clear out and you can enjoy the sunlight on the massive rocks and unique trees. I wandered around this area for about 2 hours around sunset and saw just one small group of people in the distance. It was a very nice evening. 

Sunrise at Kaanapali Beach was always a peaceful spot while visiting Maui. I ventured out about an hour before sunrise each morning to enjoy the deserted beach and the reliably colorful sunrise. 

Emerald Bay is probably the most visited place in in Lake Tahoe. There are many recreation opportunities here and during the summer months, it isn't uncommon to see over a thousand cars along the highway for miles north and south of this location, but show up at dawn and it's a whole different story. I've shot here at night as well and it's equally as peaceful. 

Lake Lytle, Oregon. I arrived here early one morning and while the clouds looked a little restless, the water was perfectly still. Except for the sound of the birds starting their day, it was also perfectly quiet. 

I visited Crane Creek Regional Park in Sonoma County on one of my spring searches for wildflowers. What I found was a park with rolling hills and large Oak trees, and very few people. Although I passed a few hikers this afternoon, I had most of the place to myself. 

The Redwoods are pretty reliable for tranquility and solitude, as long as you are willing to walk a bit. It can get pretty crowded in the areas you can drive to, but the crowds thin out the farther you hike. Plus, they filmed some Star Wars scenes here, so that makes it an even more special location. 

Many people watch sunset from Manzanita Lake in Lassen National Park, but I found some of the lesser known lakes just as beautiful and far more peaceful. This is Reflection Lake, and it did not disappoint. 

This is Rush Creek in the June Lake area. This is a nice location to see fall colors. There is a trail along Rush Creek that is dotted with fisherman during the day, but first thing in the morning, it is deserted and a nice pace to walk and take pictures as the sun comes up. 

Fern Creek in Yosemite National Park is so small that you could easily pass it by - and many people do as they are rushing to see Half Dome and Yosemite Falls. If you stop here, you can enjoy a quiet and beautiful spring that runs all year. 

This Water Lily was shot in a friends beautiful backyard (thank you Truman!). It looks like something that belongs on a wellness poster or advertisement for a retreat for the perpetually stressed. The subtle little and color combination make this a naturally calming photo.