Utah for photography

[take_funyu]

Hello

I am going to attend the meeting at LasVegas next April. After the

meeting I am going to take Photo Vacation for 10 days around Las

Vegas. I would like to visit Zion, Arches, Monument Valley and

Canyons near Lake powell. This is the first time for me to visit Utha

from Japan. So would you tell me how long is enough for each

location. And where is the good point for Sunrise and Sunset at each

location?

Thanks,

[ShunCheung]

There has been a lot of discussion on nature photography in Utah in this forum. Please do a serach on old threads/discussion. To get you started, please also take a look at my article in the static pages in this forum: <A HREF="http://www.photo.net/photo/nature/utah.htm">

http://www.photo.net/photo/nature/utah.htm</A>.

[david_henderson]

How long depends on how much you like hiking. If you don't intend to walk much then a couple of days is fine, but if you're prepared to do some walking then Zion in particular could occupy you for days. Of course the weather plays a part too, and the "couple of days" advice assumes that you're able to photograph both days.

 

In Zion, sunrise is good from the back of the visitor centre looking west over to the Temple of the Virgin. Also in the same direction from the switchbacks leading east from the main valley, on the road up to the tunnel and the east entrance. Sunset can be good from the bridge over the Virgin River looking south if there's sun on the Watchman peak. In the valley itself you lose the light quite early at that time of year.

 

In Arches a good sunrise spot is North Window which you climb through and up onto a ledge behind the arch, through which you can see Turret Arch framed through the "Window". The classic sunset trip is to Delicate Arch which is however quite a tough climb if you're carrying a lot, and on a good day you will not be alone.

 

In Monument Valley the "must do" sunrise and sunset shots are of "The Mittens" from near the Visitor Centre or one of the campsites nearby.

 

I don't know the Lake Powell area well - in fact I'm planning my first visit in April too.

 

You might also want to consider Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon as destinations. They are as photographically attractive as the other places you mention, and Capitol Reef will be quieter than most.

[bakubo]

Yes, certainly you should go to Bryce Canyon National Park also. It is not far from Zion NP.

[bryan_weckmann]

I was out in this area last April for a couple of weeks, it is truly beautiful country. Do not miss Bryce and Capitol Reef(EXCELLANT). As far as sunrise/sunset-stop at the visitor centers in each park-talk to the rangers, they know the good spots. also pick up a park map, figure out east/west and go from there. Visit the websites of each Park through the N.P.service site, they contain lots of important info; weather ranges to expect, services, food and lodging etc...Most of all, have fun!

[bob_ternes]

While this doesn`t exactly fit with the Utah suggestions, I would encourage you to make a small side trip excursion while you are in Las Vegas. If you have a free morning on your visit you might want to consider driving up to Kyle canyon area and Mt.Charleston in the Toiyabe National forest. It is about 45 mins to an hour away from wherever you will be staying on the strip or downtown. Take I-15 north towards downtown and then 95 north towards Tonopah, go about 18-20 miles on 95 to rt 157, turn left (only way as I remember) and proceed straight up into Kyle canyon 26 miles. The road pretty much deadends at a nice lodge and restaurant where you can get a sandwich and hot chocolate. There are some nice places along the way to get some photos and the road is wide enough to permit you to pull over in most places. Don`t worry when you first start up the 26 mile leg of 157...it`s pretty plain but soon gets interesting when you cross the tree line. I visit Las Vegas with some regularity and always take any first time visitors up there and like to watch their amazement at such a pretty place not more than an hour from the desert floor of Las Vegas. You can do the whole trip and back by noon if you start about 8 am. Oh...by the way, be careful on the way back down the 26 mile from the canyon, you can really get your speed up there if not careful. One time we actually coasted all 26 miles with never stepping on accelerator, only the brakes.

[douglas_j._moo1]

I just visited southern Utah for 4 frustratingly brief days. Based on my limited experience, I would encourage you to think beyond the national parks to some of the great scenery on backroads in the Escalante/National Staircase Nat'l. Monument and on the Burr Trail Road. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is strongly recommended; but my personal opinion is that these routes offer certain photo. opps. that the usual Parks do not.

[gerrymorgan]

If you make the trip to Monument Valley, you might want to consider also visiting Valley of the Gods, which is about 30 miles from there. The big advantage of Valley of the Gods is that it is not at all commercialized, so you can get there as early as you want in order to set up for sunrise, and stay as long as you like for the light after sunset (Monument Valley has strict opening and closing times, and there is a barrier to enforce them). I took some <A HREF="http://members.xoom.com/airviolin/monvalgods.htm">photos</A> in the Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley back in October. A good place for sunrise at the Valley of the Gods would be the area near the cottonwoods around the mid-point of the drive (there is only one road).

<P>

Enjoy your trip -- southern Utah is beautiful!

 

Gerry

[michael_reichmann1]

You've received some excellent advise on locations. One that I'd like to add is Antelope Canyon near Page, Arizona.

 

I've just added a travel guide and photo essay on the slot canyons to my site at http://www.luminous-landscape.com/antelope1.htm which you might be interesting in looking at.

 

Michael Reichmann

[jay_piper]

The Mount Charleston trip is worthwhile but make sure to take the connecting road between Kyle Canyon and Lee Canyon, I think drive from Lee to Kyle is more spectacular. Go up each canyon beyond the lodge and connecting road to see more views. Should still be plenty of snow in April. This is a 1/2 day trip (door to door) from Vegas.

 

Red Rocks is another must-see just W of Las Vegas, way out Charleston or reached by going out Blue Diamond Road (past the old Boomtown - now Silverado?) and turning N to Bonnie Springs/Old Nevada (fun miniature train ride, animals for kids), Spring Mountain State Park and Red Rock National Recreation Area. Go up the side canyon trails (willow springs?) that go into the escarpment. Can be dramatic weather.

 

Valley of Fire State Park is NE of Las Vegas on way to Utah. I recommend going there along N shore of Lake Mead. Calico Hills/Silica Domes (drive out and hike S down betwen fins into a slot canyon) and Mouse's Tank trail rock art are recommended.

 

Snow Canyon State Park, Coral Pink Sand Dunes are near St George UT, nice 1/2 day visits also. Be sure to go into both main part of zion and less crowded Kolob Canyons-Zion with separate entrance further N on I-15.

 

Be ready for snow, I was snowed out of Cedar Breaks in early June just before freezing nights at Grand Canyon North Rim Campground. North Rim will likely be closed - still snowed in - in April, but even Kaibab National Forest well short of Rim is beautiful.

 

Some other places worth the trip are Cathedral Gorge State Park near Caliente Nevada, Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge is on the way there from Las Vegas - go E on I-15 then turn N up I-93. Some secondary roads will get you into Utah from Cathedral Gorge area but check conditions first. Staying on 93 North gets you closer to Lehman Caves and Great Basin National Monument in E-central Nevada - spectacular mountains, glacial tarn lakes, bristlecones, a great cave and a more reliable gateway to Utah - but check on seasonal access!

 

If you head up to Reno/Tahoe, take a detour ENE of Tonopah to Berlin/Ichthyosaur State Park -beautiful scenery and interesting fossils of giant aquatic dinosaurs. My 2-1/2 year old looked at a bus-sized life-size replica and said "airplane fish! dinosaur airplane fish!" Chloride(?) ghost town is also on this route, closer to Las Vegas.

 

Snow won't be as much of a concern at Death Valley. Salt Creek is worth a visit for boardwalk over wildlife-filled spring that dries up after flowing less than a mile. High meadows to W if weather permits, valley rim views from E side, great sand dunes further N are all in Death Valley. This might be your best wildflower opportunity.

 

Closer to Las Vegas, explore Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Gypsum Wash, Bowl of Fire, Pinto Basin, Redstone all offer short hikes and possibly wildflowers, this can be combined with trip along N shore of lake to Valley of Fire, or along SW shore of lake to Hoover Dam. If it's warm enough go to Callville Bay and rent a jet-ski to explore up-canyon to east.

 

Flagstaff might still be snowy too,but South Rim of Grand Canyon will be open, so should Sunset Crater/Wupatki Ruins National Monument just NE of Flagstaff, and mountains SE of Kingman along the way there from Las Vegas.

 

You may have better luck with weather if you have a 'high elevation plan ' = Bryce, Cedar Breaks, etc. for sunshine, and a 'low elevation plan' = Zion, Snow Canyon, Las Vegas/Death Valley and maybe SE Utah parks - in case it's a week of winter storms. Roads from Zion to SE Utah/4-corners/Flagstaff, Arizona can get tricky - or be closed to those without 4wd and tire chains - in sustained winter weather.

 

Http://www.GORP.com has very good outdoor guides, luminous landscape site is very nice, also try http://travel.roughguides.com/ for travel ideas.

 

Enjoy!!!

[dan_smith]

Get out your maps and check mileage carefully before planning on all the driving you seem to be ready to do. 30 miles doesn't sound like much, but if it is dirt/washboard roads it can be a real killer.

The Burr trail is excellent, but again, bumpy as heck. Check with the rental places about dirt roads as some of them say no to that, though I don't know how they can enforce it when half of SoUtah & Nevada are dirt roadways.

 

The idea of these parklands is great but be ready to modify your plans for location & lighting. To the point of not visiting one or more of your planned locations if what you find in one area is so good you want to stay.

 

Take a tent & sleeping bag & camp out at some out of the way places so you can get the photos you want rather than being tied to the towns & the infrequent motels.

 

Remember that these areas are remote & wild because they are so far apart & are hard to get to. The few that get a lot of tourism generally have an overcrowding problem. A lot of the smaller, lesser known areas are nice and less crowded. Unless you absulutely have to have Delicate Arch, pass it by & hit the other places within an hour or so like Goblin Valley.

[dhrubo_gupta]

I did three days in Bryce on a Workshop in April 97 with Joe Lange and found the rock formations just stunning - we were lucky that it had snowed heavily a couple of days earlier and huge globs of it still remained and contrasted beautifully with the deep red of the sedimentary pillars. Athough it was bitterly cold, the best shot we got was sunrise at "sunrise point" - the entire valley lit up as if on fire. There is an excellent visitor's centre that has all the guide maps you need.

 

We did three days following this at Zion, but we all agreed Bryce was a tough act to follow.

[john_demott]

You have received many good suggestions above, but not too many direct answers to your original question--how long at each site?

 

The answer of course is that it depends on you. How much driving do you like to do? The sites you listed are located many hours apart. The drives themselves are often beautiful, but if you try to see too much you will spend all your time in a car. There are numerous visitors to the parks you mention who probably spend only one day or two days at most at each park. They see many lovely sites and photographic opportunities just by visiting the easily accessible areas by car.

 

I spent two weeks in southern Utah in Septmeber, and like most of those who have answered your questions, I found that many of the most exciting locations are difficult to reach. You must either hike or take unimproved roads. If you want to explore these areas in greater detail, then you should allow more time at each location, at least 2 or 3 days each.

 

If the weather is poor, then I highly recommend Death Valley which has enough great photographic scenery to keep you busy for a week or more.