Nature Photography Locations

I owe it to everyone to make a positive contribution to the thread. For folks around eastern Pennsylvania I recommend Green Lane Park in the northern end of Montgomery county. I've photographed landscapes, macro, flora, fauna, and water in many forms. There is a bird sanctuary at the far northern end and a large reservoir with an extensive, well marked trail system. The Deep Creek area offers water at 3 levels with access to almost all of the shoreline. There is a small bird blind with holes in the fence and it can be used by birders, hunters, or photographers ( a 400mm lens fits through the holes). Winter offers a completely different set of photo ops with snow and ice.

I don't see many photographers there except when an unusual bird is around. Even then, there aren't many. I've always been surprised at how few cameras I see. I've been going there for about 15 years for fungi and almost as long for serious nature photography. I've posted many photographs from this park. It's an easy place to have quiet time with a camera in a varied environment.

I frequently go below the large spillway at Deep Creek to photograph birds and ice. It's very rocky and fairly private. It's an easy place to sit still and wait for wildlife to come near.

This is an awesome idea. I understand the naysayer's thoughts and agree we can find phenomenal nature around us all the time and need to have awareness and keen vision and hearing to be watching for that. But it is also great to have hints about where to visit when going someplace you aren't familiar with.

I'll give a few Wisconsin area ideas. Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Central WI - Whooping Cranes in Spring to Fall, Karner Butterflies in spring, other wildlife. Buena Vista State Wildlife Area in central WI - prairie chickens in spring, short-eared owls especially in winter, Snowy owls in winter, hawks year round. Sax-Zim Bog in MN - great for winter birding, especially for Great Grey and other owls. Petenwell Dam in winter for perching and fishing bald eagles. Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area in northern WI for thousands of sandhill cranes landing in evening and taking off in morning during October migration.

Cape Breton National Park Nova Scotia Canada.

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Cape Breton National Park Nova Scotia Canada.

Nova Scotia is a place I’ve been seriously considering for a visit, we often visit Maine and NS is just that bit further.

Eno River State Park, NC

On Mt 310

BNelson, That's mighty close to the action! I hope you were using a long lens. I wouldn't want to get between those bruisers.

As it turned out, I was using a 80-400mm lens @240mm. It happened so fast, the docent was freaking out! About 15-20 ft away. They were only interested in brawling and left us alone. We did hastily retreat.

Also from PA, near the capital, Harrisburg. Wildwood Park on the outskirts of Harrisburg generally offers up a variety of birds and other water life. Varies by the time of year, of course.

Was recently in Florida to visit my sons, and found some nice opportunities on Pelican Island and Sebastian Inlet State Park on the Atlantic Coast.

Interesting to hear about Middle Creek Laura. I've been there during the migration, and there are photographers galore. Perhaps during certain times of the year, it simply isn't safe to be out there unless you are hunting, and the message was conveyed in less than an ideal manner.

Perhaps during certain times of the year, it simply isn't safe to be out there unless you are hunting, and the message was conveyed in less than an ideal manner.

On the day that the comment was made I saw many photographers at various locations. I was polite in my query and the rude comments made to me went far beyond photography. I did ask if there was a safety issue involved, and was then blasted even more. What was said to me can't be defended under any circumstances. Maybe it's difficult for folks to imagine being treated this badly, but I'm not a verbal punching bag for a state employee who's having a bad day. I'm sure it's a great place for photography, just be ready do deal with abusive staff in the visitor center. With any luck that person has been reassigned to a desk job without a window.

Acadia National Park receives around 3.5 million visitors a year and can get quite crowded at times. Just over an hour from the main park is the Schoodic Peninsula which is also part of the National Park but only gets 10% of the visitors. It's one of my favorite places to stay, especially if the weather is bad.

Ravens Nest in Fog

Schoodic Night Sky

Wildlife at Staten Island, CA

Sunrise at Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River in Maryland.

I started this thread with the Conowingo Eagles. While there are a few eagles here right now, due to extremely heavy rain fall the water is very turbulent making the fish harder to find. I gave up after a few hours this morning. The sunrise was the highlight of the days action. :(

Most of us probably know what the crowds can be like in Grand Teton National Park, but on the other side of the hill, on the Idaho side, it is very much less crowded. This is Teton Canyon, to the east of Driggs, Idaho.

WOW

Great job! I really appreciate this!!!

Nature is one of my favorite paces and objects to take pictures! I always impressed with it!

Inclement weather changes the nature of many very popular sites. Most crowds retreat from Zion Canyon when it rains, but they miss out in a big way. Every crack in the canyon walls becomes a waterfall, for example:

Zion is one of my favorite of the National Parks. We visited again this year in late May, while I thought Monday would be quieter than the weekend I was sadly mistaken. The car parks were full by 8am. Luckily we found a space on the road near the bus stops. The buses did an excellent job of carrying visitors up the canyon in a very short time.

If you find yourself in the Southwest USA near Santa Fe, the Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks NM are an impressive site of unsual rock formations and slot canyons

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument by Tom Yin, on Flickr

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument by Tom Yin, on Flickr

If one is ever travelling along Interstate 70 in west-central Utah, there's a section of road that would qualify for designation as a National Park, except they can't make the whole state a national park (can they?). The canyons, buttes, and red rock vistas are truly stunning, but there's no visitor's center or other landmark beyond a scenic turnout along the highway. I recommend a stop if you're ever travelling along that way, going west from State Hwy 24.

 

Or, you can hit some of the smallest state parks. Goosenecks of the Colorado State Park in S. Utah is the very smallest state park at only a few acres, and zero amenities, but with a view that will knock your socks off:

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In that same area of southern Utah is Dead Horse Point State Park, which has a pretty scenic view. No drone involved here!

Dead Horse Point panorama by Tom Yin, on Flickr