Zion in the Fall

[jimmyb]

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Hey Everyone,</p>

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I'm looking at visiting Zion National Park this fall, as it's a trip I've been

wanting to take for a while and I finally have the vacation time to do it.

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I've never been to Zion and I had a few questions for those who have. First,

when is the peak fall colors? I'm thinking of visiting late October or early

November. How crowded can I expect it to be? I'm used to shooting solo and am

definitely an "off the beaten path" hiker/photographer. Lastly, any tips on

locations within Zion?

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Thanks for the help!

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Jimmy B

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<a href="http://www.jimbicegophoto.com">http://www.jimbicegophoto.com</a>

[William Kahn]

I would contact the folks at Zion NP directly. Normally, I'd say mid to late October is good. But, drought conditions in the southwest have been so severe that it's difficult to predict when the colors will peak - or if there will be any at all.

[dan_v]

Jimmy,

 

I'm also planning a Southern Utah trip this fall and have come across a number of excellent sites by locals that helped firm up my itinerary including:

 

http://www.zionnational-park.com

 

http://www.canyoneeringusa.com

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zion_National_Park_Hiking

 

If you don't already have the new edition of Laurent Martres excellent book "Photographing the Southwest", you can order a copy here:

http://canyoneeringusa.com/shop/view_product.php?product=photosw

 

Have a great trip.

 

-Dan

[SCL]

There's lots of threads on Zion which you might want to check out. I personally found shooting the final ascent to Angel's Landing to be a photographic and emotional challenge (I have an infrequent, but severe fear of treacherous heights). The photographic challenge was to deal ith light and dark contrasts, to capture the drama in the overall height and steepness of the climb without sacrificing the individuality of the climbers. The day I went (in late Sept.) the temperature reached 103 degrees and there was about a 10 mph wind blowing. I'd go back in the blink of an eye. Back to your question...crowds aren't an issue...especially if you begin the trails around 7:30 am. You cannot and should not attempt to go off-trail...there are lots of trails where you won't meet people for 15-30 minutes at a time, and when you do, it will be a brief 30 or so seconds. Two cautions....take lots of water, dehydration can be a real bummer and there are no good sources of water along the trails; second...even if it is a sunny day,before beginning to hike, check with rangers for thunderstorms in a 100 mile radius. Dry canyons can become raging rivers in a very short time when a storm 50 miles away works its way to Zion...it killed a number of campers several years ago who were taken unawares. Have a great time...yuo should be well rewarded with terrific photos.

[the lone ranger]

According to the weather.com fall foliage reports, that region is peaking right now. I'd call the park and ask, as I haven't been there this year.

 

<p>

<a href="http://www.rwongphoto.com">Two-Lane Road Photography by Richard Wong</a><br>

<a href="http://www.rwongphoto.com/fieldreport">In the Field</a>

[ranong]

i just got back from SW Utah. it was great. the leaves were bigining to change in SLC.

 

as for locations to shoot.......hhhhhmmmmm?!?!? i would have to say go to bryce canyon! i thoughtit was significantly better than zion. it is only 2 -3 hours away, so you should not miss it. bryce was simply amazing. sorry i can not be more helpful about zion, but we only stayed a few days, and did not make it up angels landing due to rain. i will go back and do the trail for sure. the slot canyon was okay....

 

eddie

[dave wyman]

Trees in the lower Zion regions that most people visit - say 4,000 feet - are mostly cottonwoods. Those won't be at their peak, typically, until early - mid November.

 

Aspens, which are much less plentiful, and found at higher elevations in the park, are already turning and many groves in fact have probably passed their peak.

 

None the less, the colors of autumn in the park will be visible depending on where you are, and when you are there. I'm headed there in mid-November, and I'm going to concentrate my efforts along the Virgin River (and the surrounding trails), because the canyon should be full of bright yellow cottonwoods.<div></div>

[brett_duval]

The maples at the north end of the main canyon usually are at peak color in late October while the cottonwoods peak in early November. The maples turn red and the cottonwoods turn yellow.

 

In October you are still required to use the shuttle system for the park but in November you can use your own vehicle. You should contact the park to find out when exactly that date is. I prefer November for the main canyon because there are fewer people but October is better for the back country. Few people go there and the colors change sooner because of the higher elevation.

 

If you want to get off the beaten path, you should do the Left Fork of the North Creek Trail. It's about 8 or 9 miles round trip and takes you to several small cascades and the Subway. You need a permit to do it but they are easy to get from the visitor center. The one time I did it only six people were in the canyon that day and they have permits for 50 people. After less than a mile hike on the ridge you drop down into the canyon and head upstream. Pay attention to where you came into the canyon. I've heard of people missing the trail out and spending the night in the canyon. Personally, I thought it was pretty easy to find.

 

One trail in the main canyon I like is the Sand Bench Trail. It's not good for foliage but not many people use it and it has views of the Court of Patriarchs to the North, the Streaked Wall to the west, the Watchman to the south, and you're above the Virgin river to the east. Other than that, go up Angels Landing and roam around.

[craig_gillette]

We were in the area 20 years ago, last of September, early Ocober and don't recall overwhelming fall colord in the Zion main canyon but the canyons and washes through the tunnel to the east had a lot of small trees and shrubs that were colorful. Bryce was pretty much ready for winter and past peak (but not necessarily leaves fallen) for high elevation aspens in most of the areas we traveled through.

[scott_jorgenson1]

Zion Canyon: the fall color peak is during the 1st or 2nd week of November, give or take a week. All other locations are higher and turn earlier. But if you haven't done autumn in Zion National Park before, Zion Canyon is the main show, what with all the maples, box elders, and cottonwoods.

 

What makes this especially convenient for a photographer, is that the shuttle system is shutdown after October 31, so you have more freedom to scout around, cover territory, respond to changes in light and weather, etc.

 

Zion Canyon on a weekend at this time (early- to mid-November) will feel busy, especially at the Temple of Sinawava, the Emerald Pools, and Weeping Rock. Outside of Zion Canyon, it will be very quiet. Weekdays will be noticeably quieter all around than weekends.

 

Expect to see a ton of photographers. 10% or more of the visitor population at this time are photographers - I'm not kidding. I live in California and have experience with Yosemite, Big Sur, Death Valley in El Nino years, etc. I have never seen so many serious photographers in one place, as peak color time in Zion Canyon. Each time I have been there, it has been that way. Expect a hundred of them (us) or more.

 

Lastly, about the Subway (Left Fork of North Creek): its spectacular, serene and one-of-a-kind. But for the average photographer, its a grueling hike. Lots of boulder scrambling, log stepping, branch ducking, some wading, and it goes on that way for several miles. And yes, I'm just talking about the approach from below. If you're in good shape and traveling light, that's one thing. If you're in average American shape and carrying 25-35 pounds of gear, that's something else. The day after I did it, all I could do was stick to the level trails of the Zion Canyon floor. I ached for days afterward. I guess I'm not 25 anymore :-)

 

Scott

[bob_flood1]

You've gotten some advice so far. My wife and I were in Zion on Saturday (9/23) and the color development seems to be about on its normal schedule. The main canyon will probably peak the last weekend in Oct or the first in Nov.

 

Don't overkook the Kolob Canyon part of the park - it's accessed with great ease from I-15 about 40 miles north of St George and offers great scenery and a good variety of trees (aspen, of course, maple, cottonwood, etc). And it will have 10% of the people in Zion Canyon.

 

Zion Canyon will be best on a weekday - if you can, avoid the bigger weekend crowds by hitting Zion Canyon on weekdays and go into the higher country (Kolob, etc) on the weekend.

 

The Narrows will be open, but that requires walking in the water, sometimes chest-deep, depending how far upstream you go. And it will be K-K-KOLD water! But if you're up for it, there's no place quite like it.

 

The trams run until the end of October, with only those with handicap placards allowed to drive (that's me). But the trams do a good job - the crowds will be bigger in Zion Canyon than in Kolob, but at that time they won't be anything like the summer crowds, and the trams can handle them. Trams come by the stops regularly, and parking locations are pretty limited, anyway.

 

Go up thru the tunnel into the higher, eastern side of the park. You'll find some great foliage among the rocks up there, although it peaks more toward the middle of Oct at that elevation. There's a hike along some narrow ledges (if I can do it, you can do it) starting right by the upper end of the tunnel, taking you to a great overlook above the central canyon.

 

For close-ups of deer, try being around the Zion lodge in the late afternoon. They graze on the lawn and are largely unafraid of people, within limits (don't expect to pet them).

 

If you have the time, Bryce is unique, but it's not the place to find fall color. Then again, it doesn't need it.

 

North of Zion there's an east-west road over Cedar Mountain ending in Cedar City. It's lloks like a good prospect for fall color, but don't bother. The area has been hard hit by insect problems, and major parts of the pine and aspen forest are dead up there.

 

A few hours drive to the south is the north rim of the Grand Canyon. You'll find significant areas of aspen across the plateau as you head out the canyon, and some of the vegetation in the canyon changes color.

 

Above all, have fun.

 

Bob in Las Vegas