Family leaps over 6,000 entries in Texas State Parks photo contest for first place

This family's jump of joy won them the grand prize in the Texas State Parks photo contest.

“We took our first jump photo at Enchanted Rock,” said Sam Holm. “We decided to try it again at Palo Duro Canyon State Park. We got it in one take.”

The Holm family is avid state park fans so they decided to submit the photo taken at Palo Duro Canyon State Park to the contest.

Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) launched the year-long contest in January of 2023 to celebrate 100 years of Texas State Parks. A panel of judges chose four seasonal winners and runners-up, but the public got to decide first place in a vote.

Holm, his wife and two daughters now get to enjoy a state park vacation with a Texas State Parks Pass, a $500 gift card from H-E-B donated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and a VIP curated experience in a Texas state park.

See all 18 finalist photos here.