Far from the eastern shores, past the wavering fields of crops in the Midwest and over the vast range of mountains from visits past, lies the desolate lands of rock and sand. Where lizards scurry from bush to bush in evasive maneuvers from predatory birds circling high. A place of unforgiving landscapes and deadly temperatures. A venomous snake winds its way through the sand dunes in search of mice, a tumbleweed blows in the wind spreading its seeds in the dry desert soil. Standing in the sweltering heat of the high sun overheard, two photographers stand in awe of the red rocks and canyons of the American Southwest.
After a three day ride along the highways of the Appalachia, the great plains and mountain ranges of last years trip my wife and I make it to the first visit on this trip. Shutting the doors to our rental car about two hours from sunrise we make our first steps along the trail of our first spot. Red dust wisps around our boots as we trek up the hill as towering pillars of stone surround us. Local lizards scurry as our long shadows pass over them in the fading sunlight. We take a few photos of the towers before us with blue bird skies in the backdrop. Our first night is not a productive one but after a long drive we are just happy to be out of the car. Tomorrow marks the official first day of fun so we head back to the car and make our way into town where we rest up for the next morning.
My alarm goes off in the dark hotel room as we excitedly get dressed for our nighttime hike. Careful to make sure we don’t wake the other guests we quietly make our way to the car and begin our short drive to the trail head. Absolute darkness lay before us as we drive up the winding roads of the park that our headlights struggle to pierce. We pass popular parking spots for other famous views as I dodged near suicidal jack rabbits darting out in front of us. I haven’t killed an animal on a trip and I don’t intend to start now. After parking in the lot and shutting the lights off, the darkness and stars is so disorienting for a moment that I felt dizzy like I was floating in space. Once it passes we grabbed our camera bags from the back seat, turn on our flashlights and begin our hike in the dark. We passed dry bushes and smooth sheets of rock as we walked along the sandy trail. To my wife’s annoyance I repeatedly scanned the area with my flashlight all around in search of potential mountain lions and cliff edges. Over paranoid as always I didn’t want to start our trip by falling to my death. After a short while we finally make it to the Google Maps spot I had found for sunrise here. It was blue hour and the vast expanse of the valley below us was more reminiscent of the moon than Earth. As we stood at the edge of the cliff in awe of the scene 1,200 feet below us, we set up our tripods. I was looking for a foreground subject that would work with the canyon and mountain range when the sun was just starting to rise. No clouds in the sky I decided to take a shot regardless of the lack of color. With a scene like this I was just happy to be seeing this in person after a long years wait. Once the sun crested the horizon and lit up the foreground bush I took this photo.
Sun kisses the rims edge leaving the canyon in shadow.
From there my wife and I wandered around the cliffs edge just taking in the morning while a raven croaked in a nearby dry tree. Carefully climbing back up the orange rock formations to make sure we didn’t step on any precious plant life we made our way back to the car. We briefly visited the lookouts along the main road of the park to get a feel for the land for sunset before heading to our next spot outside the park. My wife is a big fan of all things dinosaurs so I found an easy hike that brings you to a slab of rock in the middle of no where that holds the fossilized footprints of dinosaurs from millions of years ago. After that we decided to get a snack at the local grocery store and settled on some muffins. As the long hot afternoon raged on we hid in the cool comforts of our hotel room to rest up for tonight’s attempt at sunset. Time finally came so we headed back to a viewpoint we visited early in the morning. Another canyon similar to the one from the sunrise shot we ended up not taking many photos since the sky was still boring and uninspiring. The next morning was more eventful however.
Again we left in the dark to try to be the first ones at this parks most popular attraction. But even arriving 2 hours before sunset there was still a small group of people at the famous arch. Our small group started to grow a little as we stood in the dark beneath the brilliant sea of stars above us. One guy squeezed in next to me with an annoyed sigh that he would have to share this spot with other people. A faint glow began to spread on the horizon as we all got excited for what was coming. When the sun rises here it reflects off the cliff wall under the natural stone arch and creates a beautiful orange glow on the underside of it. Most people here were interested in shooting a sun star but I’m the odd one out that was more happy with the eerie glow we were getting before the sun officially rose. By now our small crowd had grown to nearly 50 people as we all stood shoulder to shoulder like sardines in a can. Just as the sun peaked its way out that entitled guy from earlier decided he had waited long enough and pushed passed the crowd and set up his tripod along the cliff edge ruining everyone’s shot who had waited 2 hours for. With shouts and curses from many of the respectful photographers and pompous comments from the self proclaimed King of the Arch he gave up as he was 1 against an army of angry photographers and slunk back behind the crowd. After the exciting near brawl everyone departed and my wife and I hung back to soak in the wondrous view before us.
A warm glow emerges just bore the sun rises.
With a few hours drive ahead of us we packed up the car and continued on our way. Speeding along the highway at 80mph (the posted speed limit) we spotted the exit for our next park. The road wound its way around rock formations and rocky plateaus like the many venomous snakes in this region. Lava rocks peppered the hills and flat expanse from long dead volcanic activity. Passing tomorrows sunrise spot we crossed into the park boundaries and the welcome sign. It was 11am and already the main park road was full of cars. The added construction of crews repaving the road didn’t help the crowds but still we pressed on in search of a spot to get out an explore. After an hour of searching we see one remaining parking spot far from the initial crowds. Gathering our gear and a small snack we sat on a stone wall while a habituated chipmunk sat near our feet begging for our trail mix. We let him down and didn’t feed him since its not good idea and against the rules to feed the wildlife. Over time they become dependent on humans and our food puts them and the visitors at risk. Eventually it gave up and disappeared into its ground den when we finished eating. Stowing our wrappers in our bags we made our way down the pathway of a long dried riverbed. This land used to be under a shallow sea millions of years ago and evidence still remains. The smooth towering rock walls on either side of the trail a pocked with hundreds of holes like those in a coral reef in todays oceans. Only now small hardy trees and bushes somehow survive in this dry harsh environment. The smooth rock formations at the base of the canyons are strange and unlike anything we’ve seen before. Like stepping back into the times of dinosaurs, whose fossils lie hidden in the landscape that we stood in. As we round a bend in the path I spotted a cluster of hole filled rocks and vegetation that made me stop on my tracks. I ended up walking about 10 feet after taking the first image and noticed the scene looks completely different so I shot a second image.
Reef like rocks are home to strong trees.
A few feet to the left reveals a whole new scene.
Skipping sunset for the night we decided to just hang out in the hotel and eat our freeze dried meals in the air conditioned room. Before bed we wandered around the property and watched some cows in the fields behind the hotel as the sun began to set behind the backdrop of mountains the cows get to enjoy.
Following the easy day we had the next morning brought us to the massive plateau we passed on the way into the park. Pulling off onto the unpaved road we carefully drove along in the dark towards the ever looming natural stone monument. Getting closer and closer to it and further and further away from modern roads I stopped short as the headlights illuminated the road, or what was left of it. Recent strong rains had damaged many parts of the places we were visiting this trip and a large chunk of the road was mostly gone. Not wanting to break anything on the rental car we decided to park and pull out our zoom lenses to photograph the plateau from a distance. The sun was a little ways from rising so I set up the tripod and noticed something odd. With no wind at all there was no sound to be heard at all, no birds or bugs, cars or airplanes, nothing. The phrase “deafening silence” was more reality here as I strained to hear anything at all. All I could manage to get was my own pulse in my ears. Even with my wife beside me I had never felt so alone and this desolate before. Thats when I noticed what the rains had left in the ground in the ditch beside the road, every nature photographers dream. Mudcracks. As we waited for the sun to come up more we shot the mud and the white rocks it engulfed until the rays of morning lit hit the martian like ripples in the base of the plateau. The way the warm light hit the cool tones of the textured rock was beautiful and I shot a panorama of the scene before getting back in the car to head towards our next hike.
The famous mud cracks of the south west.
Panorama of the base of a towering plateau.
Parking along the previously packed trailhead we passed the day before we were lucky to be the second ones there. A dry riverbed was todays plan for exploration. Similar to the day before the path curved through towering stone walls and more ocean like rocks filled with holes. Almost expecting to see eels hidden inside them we passed by green trees and bushes just about to start turning into their warm hues of autumn. A week too early for fall color meant the cool tones stuck out amongst the pale orangey pinks of the boulders and walls around them. We walked along for a couple miles as the sun reflected soft light on a particular rock formation and tree that I knew I had to shoot. A warm glow resided under the tall overhang above it. The trees roots exposed yet surviving strong in the pink dirt. A couple hours passed while we shot the holes in the smooth sandstone. I found one group of holes that looked to me like some alien skull that had long sat here for millions of years before turning into stone itself. We set our for our next park just as the sun was beginning to make the cool temperatures of the morning turn to harsh unwelcoming heat
A persistent tree stands tall against the odds.
An alien face peers our from the sandstone wall.
Our drive brought us away from the ancient red rocks to familiar looking sights from last years adventure in the mountains. Ascending the long winding road gave us views of miles and miles of untouched desert landscape. Aspens had begun their fall transition to golden yellow tones along the bypass as we reached the peak of the mountain. We paused to walk around them to enjoy their shade and reminisce of our previous trip to see their kind. Descending down the mountain a cloud of red dust hung in the air just above the tree line as I rounded a blind curve in the road. Hitting my brakes we found the source of the dust cloud, a very large herd of cows was being led down the mountain pass by two ranchers on horseback. Donned in their cowboy hats with one in front of the herd and one in the back with our car in the middle we very slowly crawled along as black cows trotted along all around us. Not knowing what to do we continued like this for twenty minutes until the cows started leaving the road for the gate they were being corralled to. With a wave from the cowboy and open road ahead of us we pressed on with a unique memory of the time we became part of the herd for a brief while. With all my planning, something like that was a pleasant spontaneous moment we will never forget. As was the sights on the road we were about to come to. The mountain slopes fell away along with most of the land in general. Only the road remained as we entered this amazing area of white stone. The narrow road was nearly 9,000’ above the rolling canyons on each side of it. White knuckling the steering wheel we drove down and down into the canyon with no protection for you and careening over the edge into the deep depths below. Marking in our heads as a place to return to for a future trip we made our way to our little log cabin we had booked for the night. We made a brief visit to the park to scout out locations for tomorrows sunrise.
As we drove along the alpine looking trees and grassy fields it was hard to imagine that just beyond them was the deep gorge of red pillars we were here to see. Prairie dogs waddled through the tall grass as the foraged for the coming winter as their lookouts stood tall searching for danger. We drove to the farthest spot and worked our way back, the harsh sun creating not so flattering light in the area. Amazed by the size of these stone columns we finally found a spot for the sunrise. The crowds were large and obnoxious and it was way too windy to enjoy some peace and quiet so we headed back to the cabin for some dinner and much needed rest.
Trees dot the distant hillside.
The next morning brought us to the parking lot 7,600’ in elevation. This time around neither of us got altitude sickness but breathing was still difficult as we hiked up the steep slope to the spot we had picked out the day before to set up. Icy air and blue light ensnared us as we stood slightly shivering in the early morning hours. The rock formations below stood eerily below like a boneyard in some long forgotten realm. The dark gloomy visuals of the soft light creeping into the gorge had me spotting this one particular group of towers and I shot those and the surrounding ones as the sun spilled in creating a warm pinkish hue on the sides of each tower. Like a scene out of Lord of the Rings we gazed on the unique structures before us as the dark shadows fell away into light. On the way back to the warm car and gourmet breakfast of pop tarts a lone deer stood and silently watched us along the edge of the parking lot. A short hike later and a brief viewing of more prairie dogs we headed out.
A stone chimney sits in wait for the morning sun.
Pillars create a ritual circle.
Wider scene of the stone chimney and its surrounding walls.
Our next stop was a couple hours away and we made our way past more mountainous areas as we reached the next park. Much more vegetation lived here with all shades of lush greens and yellows lined the twisted road in. We passed giant checkerboard looking rock formations, tall stone walls and tunnels that took us into the very walls of the canyon we descended into. The growing number of cars around us fell away as we descended deeper and deeper towards the canyon floor. Wanting to take in the sights we pulled off the road and gawked at just how steep and looming the sedimentary rock walls were. Turning around in a circle our eyes were greeted by frozen giants and us the ants below. The light reflected off their might and onto a small scene across the road so I took the opportunity to shoot this image.
A small scene by the roadside.
The day and crowds were already taking their mental toll so we checked in to our next hotel early and got an alert on our phones to seek shelter and higher ground. A flash flood was coming straight for where we just were in the park and when that happens a dry riverbed will quickly turn into a deadly rush of debris and water. Deciding safety over risk of injury we skipped going back for the day and drove to the western seldom visited portion of the park where there wasn’t a cloud in sight. Good for us but bad for photographing the sunset. We sat at the road side and watched as the last days light fell away into shadow on the mountain ridge in front of us as birds quieted down for the evening. Tomorrow we had to get to the parking lot to take the shuttle into the most popular part of the park and the lots filled by 6am so we headed back and slept for the night.
They weren’t kidding about the crowds. Feeling much more like Disney World than a nature park we found a spot and headed to the long line of people waiting for the days first shuttle which we just managed to be one. Packed in like sardines with dozens of others we sat squished against our seats and bags as the shuttle made its way down the quiet road as dawn slowly crept into the canyon floor. Our driver giving us facts and jokes as he drove to the first stop as he occasionally stopped to let deer cross the road. Getting out was a relief to our claustrophobia and social anxiety and we let the crowd of people get ahead of us before heading down the trail ourselves. We watched as a small group of deer grazed on the grass by the path, enjoyed the sound of the light river that had quieted down from yesterdays flash flood and decided to not follow the crowds and return to the shuttle to head to a non busy area. Sitting in the second shuttle with just us and the driver was a much better experience and we got off at the next stop to explore the tree filled area below. Small animal prints made their impression in the purple hued mud as we walked along the path being serenaded by more ravens. The sounds of the road were gone and all was quiet when I spotted a tree singled our from the ones around it. With 2,000’ sandstone walls on all side of us we were more enthralled in the little trees on the canyon floor. We noticed some pines growing in the rock walls which baffled us but shot those as well since their green needles were a nice contrast against the pink stone walls.
Twisted trees grow in the bottom of the canyon.
Trees growing out of the rock walls of the canyon.
With our last stop in the state we cross the borders of the next to an area far from the rushing cars on the highway and deep into the desolation we always crave. The temperature was blazing like the fire this place was named after as we walked around stone piles and hole filled rocks. This place felt more like Mars than anything we’d seen so far. rock formations that almost looked created by another intelligent species looking to honor their gods. The stone all looked like they were heated so much from the sun high above that they melted together and then cooled at night. Erosion created overhangs deep in each formation and we looked on in silence as we heard a scrapping sound coming from one of them. At the top of the smaller formations in front of us, a large black lizard emerged from hiding to sun itself and keep an eye on us, cautiously posed to escape should we come closer. Though we never would. Stopping at the visitor center for some much needed AC we found a chocolate bar that boasted having the flavor of cactus fruit. We grabbed one to try since it was so weird we had to try it. I’m not sure if it was from the heat or not eating normal food for a while but it was the most delicious chocolate we ever tasted, even though it had started to melt from the 50 yard walk back to the car. Finishing that we drove along towards the parking lot for a slot canyon we were there to see. Though with the heat and lack of shade bearing down on us we looked at each other about 100 feet down the trail and said “nah”. I did however spot a strange rock that had this vein like texture wrapping around it like it may have been alive at some point in the distant past.
Veins line a unique rock in a harsh environment.
We left for the next hotel but not before stopping to buy more cactus chocolate and some cactus flavored taffy. Staying on the outskirts of the gambling capital of the world we slept in the quiet room until 2am the next morning.
Driving far into the desert in the darkness we half expected to be beamed up into a UFO since the famous incident at Roswell happened not too far away. Our destination was the valley of death, known for its extreme heat and near inhospitable land. Parking at the lot we made our way to our sunrise spot in the already 90 degree temps in the dark. Knowing this area rarely gets clouds or rain we had our sights set on the martian like landscape on the mountains around the valley. The colors all mixing together created this almost melted ice cream look and I shot this wide panorama of the scene just as the sun came up behind us.
Panorama of the rolling hills above the valley.
We wanted to explore as much as we could before the temperatures became too much so we headed down the road to go to the summit of the mountain view. Far below the barren valley lay with the haze from the heat already rippling in the distance. Though the air was much cooler up here, the wind was fierce and we head back down to go into that very valley. Just before reaching the oasis of town a lone coyote stood in the middle of the road watching our stopped car for a moment before continuing on whatever mission it had. Endless views of dried salt beds sit at the valley floor as the sun blasts away making the air dry and harsh. Sweat dries off your skin immediately after leaving your pores. In last remaining shade we took a short drive to see the colorful volcanic deposits in the hills that appear as a melted sundae that we desperately wanted at that point.
Volcanic tones rest amongst the mountainside.
After taking a few photos we had to escape the heat and drove to the visitor center where their sign read 107 degrees at 8am. Being 282’ below sea level makes the area deadly if exposed for too long. Grabbing a magnet as a souvenir as we do at every place we visit we left and headed to the hotel in hopes we could check in early. With a stroke of luck it was ready and we could get away from the inferno that was outside. Our hotel sat in the little town oasis with palm trees and a small fountain at its center. An ice cream parlor and gift shops fill the small structures around it making you forget you’re in the center of nowhere. Time passed as we sat inside watching TV until a couple of hours before sunset. It was time to head back out into the arid desert. As we passed more flat open wasteland we finally see what we are going to shoot. Rolling hills of sand like waves of the ocean sit, ever changing in the winds that whip through this valley. Tiny footprints from nigh time beetles and brave mice dot the sand with long sweeping trails from rattlesnakes not too far behind. A small struggle is left in the sand with only the snakes impressions leaving, another death for the valley. Our boots sink into the sand as we make our way up the never ending hills until we are far enough out that that parking lot disappears and only the sand is visible. Its easy to get lost in here but we carry on as the sun hangs low in the sky. With a glowing light falling over the dunes I found myself pointing my camera in every direction picking out distant curves and patterns with my 100-400.
A gentle S curve in the sand dunes.
Ripples formed in the dry sand from the wind.
With the sun just past the mountain range in the distance, an ethereal glow hangs in the sky. On the way back to the car and my wife who hung back closer to safety I spotted a small patch of grass buried in sand with waves behind its falling away to the mountains on the horizon. After walking a few more minutes I came across a little bush with wonderful textures created by the wind and came away with some photos I was very happy with. We headed back for the night with returning here in the morning as our plan.
A glow on the horizon lit this section of sand.
Ripples stretch out into the distance.
Sticking close to the road this time with the 100-400 still on my camera I decided to shoot the dunes from a distance rather than fill my boots with sand again. The sun rose and a soft light fell on the dunes and the mountains behind them making them appear much small than they really are. I stood like a tiny insect on the lower edges the night before, my foot prints washed away from the overnight wind.
Massive dunes appear small beneath the mountains.
With one last stop in the valley before heading to cooler temperatures we wanted to visit an area very much like the scenes in Star Wars where Luke meets Obi Wan. The remnants of an old road from long ago sits broken and forgotten in this slot canyon and light gently spilled into the scene creating a beautiful mix of warm and cool tones in the creepy crevice. On the way out of the park the same coyote from the day before sat on the side of the road and watched cars go by bidding us farewell.
A creepy old road hiding in the mountain.
Not many photos were to be had for the next two days as we drove high into mountains to see the oldest trees on the planet, outrunning heavy thunderstorms in the car and visiting more other worldly rock formations on the other side of the mountains we had come from before. Our journey home was starting and this time we were a little glad to be heading back after the long hot days in the desert. We still had a few more parks to visit however and this next one was filled with one of my wife’s favorite plants. Cacti. The drive in is very strange, one minutes your passing flat brown sights and the next there are thousands of tall green cacti sweeping off into the hills beyond. Standing 40 feet tall and covered in thick needle like spikes these cacti are home to all sorts of wildlife. Other species of cacti and unique flora live among their towering arms. While walking the trails here I took out my 35mm film camera and snapped this black and white image.
A duo of cacti catch the last rays of the day.
The next morning brought us outside a missile testing site to the roll white sands of the park. Much different to the dunes we had visited a few days ago, these were much easier to walk on and had a pale off white color that is unique to the area with small grassy bushes protruding from them. The park opens at sunrise so it was a race to find a composition before the first morning light faded away. Of course today there was a colorful vibrant sky after over a week of blue skies. I rushed a composition that I wasn’t happy with so while waiting for my wife to finish her photos I captured this small scene as the rain in the distance lit up in the rising sun light.
Rain is lit from the mornings sunrise while grass grows from the white sand.
From there we headed to the next park through the mountains and green pines we are more used to seeing. Enjoying a small taste of home mixed with last years trip we passed farms, turkeys and arrived back in the brown desolation we have been seeing so far. Driving up the hill to the one parking lot we entered the visitor center with reservations in hand for what hid far below the surface. My nerves were getting the best of me since I’m sensitive to motion due to inner ear troubles from childhood. I almost chickened out but resolved myself to enter the elevator that would take us over 700’ below the earth surface, The ride down wasn’t too fun as it moves rather quickly and gave me the sensation of free falling. When we reached the bottom and I ran off the small elevator we were met with enormous caverns. Forgetting we were so far underground we forgot about being claustrophobic. The immense size of these caverns was awe inspiring. Deep in the dark small lights guide you along the path passed dripping stalagmites and stalactites as bats sleep nestled high above in the ceiling. We had agreed to leave our cameras in the car since the path is pretty narrow and didn’t want to be a bother to other guests with tripods and pausing so often. I did however use my phone to the best of tits abilities and managed these 2 shots. From there we left and the elevator ride back up was much easier on me.
A deep cavern within the caverns.
A party of dripping stalagmites and stalactites.
As the last day of fun was halfway over we went to another nearby park and quickly enjoyed the tall mountains of the region before setting off to the last park 5 hours away. Flat open nothing for most of the drive was pretty boring as a rain storm sat high over the distant mountains creating rainbows for us to see, all alone in the middle of nowhere. We reached the park just as the sun was setting and were stuck behind a very slow driver on the single lane road all the way to the hotel so unfortunately we didn’t have time take photos there. Though it was beautiful and we may return at some point in the future for a dedicated trip.
Then we began our long 3 day journey home early the next morning passing into the final three states we hadn’t visited in the lower 48. Passing through the southern states was more beautiful than I expected. Much more life existed here than the nearly barren wastelands we spent our time with the past 2 weeks. Hitting major traffic in our neighboring state as usual we finally made it back. Back to our cats and home, back to real food and our own bed and back to normalcy. Another trip in the books and more photos to edit as the autumn color begins to call me back out into closer reaches of home.