I am headed back out to Capitol Reef next week for some Springtime shooting and would like some advice if anyone has to give it. Specifically, I am looking for three tidbits of info...
First, does anyone have good tips on time of day for images of the various Fruita scenes? Second, can anyone point me to some good places to look for cactus species beyond the standard Claret Cup and Prickly Pear? (please send via e-mail if you think the area is sensitive...) And third, feel free to suggest less-traveled areas of the park that might yield good pictures - particular canyons along the N-B Road, interior trail destinations...
I'm already targeting some of the Cathedral Valley Loop and will definitely be taking pictures around Fruita.
A couple of years ago I stayed at the quiet little campground for several days along the B-N road and hiked several of the little canyons in the area. I didn't find any of them especially striking (a better phototgrapher might have seen this diffferently), but fun hikes. Upper Muley Twist is an especially scenic hike and maybe some photo ops if you're there for sunrise/sunset? My best photos were taken from driving south from the campground, pulling off somewhere and hiking up cross country (a short hike) to an overlook of the waterpocket fold for sunrise. A lot of cryptogamic soil to avoid. There is a rather modest looking example of this in my NPN portfolio, though I've wanted to return someday and try to do better. The B-N road turns into a skating rink in a little rain.
When we were there last month, I was amazed by the Bentonite Hills on the Cathedral Valley Loop. I'd love to spend a day exploring that area. Definitely stop and park at the sign and walk up that canyon - lots of interesting forms, colors, and rocks. Have a great trip!
Spend some time at Bentonite Hills if you the the Cathedral Valley Loop.... I hurried past that feature to arrive at Cathedral Valley by sunset and wish I had allowed at least some time. Attached an image a quickly took from road driving through Bentonite Hills.
Ill try to post or email you some additional images I shot at Upper Cathedral Valley, perhpas they will help you. One note, I did not shot the Temple of Sun or the Temple of Moon, but they looked great and perhaps are a better sunrise shot than Upper Cathedral Valley.
You may also be lucky at Fruita, the apple trees were just starting to blossom last week and Im guessing should be in full bloom this week and next...
I'll second the Bentonite Hills area. I really need want to spend several straight days there alone next time. But, judging from your cool Hot Spots report on Capitol Reef here on RMNP, you already know that.
About all can offer is a cool little hike, a really easy one at that. It's called Surprise Canyon (pic of my wife in Surprise Canyon), and is about 1.8 miles south of the Burr Trail/Notom road junction. Not a spectacular slot or anything, but just a neat, fairly isolated canyon hike, with some nice big sandstone walls. Here is a link to some more info: Surprise Canyon
If you haven't done the Burr Trail road up and over the Reef to Boulder, that is also a greatly scenic drive. Long Canyon especially. This section fairly close to the Notom/Bullfrog road is one of my favorite spots too.
Good luck, and can't wait to see what you come back with!
The Bentonite Hills are one of the reasons I'll be spending time along the Cathedral Valley Loop; my current pictures don't really hold up to my mind's eye images of them. I'll take your advice on hiking up-"canyon" from the sign as I've never really gotten away from the road to explore further. I also want a good shot of Jailhouse Rock and one of the cattleman's cabin in Upper Cathedral Valley.
I'm surprised the fruit trees are still blooming; I was there in mid-April to get some images of the tree blossoms and picked up a good peach blossom and a few apple blossoms then - they're usually long gone by now. (This bodes well for my cactus hunt, as many cacti are early bloomers.)
Anyone know if the "standard" picture of the barn looking to the cliffs is a sunrise or sunset shot?
Brent, I'll take your advice on Surprise Canyon; I've done Headquarters Canyon next door and was quite happy with it - sounds like Surprise is similar but in a different color scheme. Roger, I'm going to see if there's space in that campground this year; last year all of the campgrounds were full and I wound up going to Escalante for an extra day instead.
Timothy, check my Hot Spot article and my Capitol Reef gallery for shots of Lower Cathedral Valley - definitely worth a sunrise!
Les, if you're headed down Notom Road, you may also want to check out Sheets Gulch. It's a much shorter drive than Surprise/Headquarters and once you get into the Waterpocket Fold, is a pretty neat and narrow slot (somewhat similar to Little Wild Horse). Lots of other cool stuff along the trail too.
Guy
Posted by Kalin Wilson on May 11, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Les,
I just returned from a week+ in SE Utah. I didn't spend any time in Capitol Reef but took the Burr trail road from Boulder to Notom road. I'd highly recommend getting down into Long Canyon in the late afternoon (as Brent suggested). The cottonwoods are popping green, I saw claret cups and other varieties of cacti. The deeply varnished canyon walls really glow with the reflected afternoon light.
Discussion
11 repliesFirst, does anyone have good tips on time of day for images of the various Fruita scenes? Second, can anyone point me to some good places to look for cactus species beyond the standard Claret Cup and Prickly Pear? (please send via e-mail if you think the area is sensitive...) And third, feel free to suggest less-traveled areas of the park that might yield good pictures - particular canyons along the N-B Road, interior trail destinations...
I'm already targeting some of the Cathedral Valley Loop and will definitely be taking pictures around Fruita.
Thanks for any and all advice.
Ill try to post or email you some additional images I shot at Upper Cathedral Valley, perhpas they will help you. One note, I did not shot the Temple of Sun or the Temple of Moon, but they looked great and perhaps are a better sunrise shot than Upper Cathedral Valley.
You may also be lucky at Fruita, the apple trees were just starting to blossom last week and Im guessing should be in full bloom this week and next...
Hope you have good trip and eager to see your images...
I'll second the Bentonite Hills area. I really need want to spend several straight days there alone next time. But, judging from your cool Hot Spots report on Capitol Reef here on RMNP, you already know that.
About all can offer is a cool little hike, a really easy one at that. It's called Surprise Canyon (pic of my wife in Surprise Canyon), and is about 1.8 miles south of the Burr Trail/Notom road junction. Not a spectacular slot or anything, but just a neat, fairly isolated canyon hike, with some nice big sandstone walls. Here is a link to some more info: Surprise Canyon
If you haven't done the Burr Trail road up and over the Reef to Boulder, that is also a greatly scenic drive. Long Canyon especially. This section fairly close to the Notom/Bullfrog road is one of my favorite spots too.
Good luck, and can't wait to see what you come back with!
I'm surprised the fruit trees are still blooming; I was there in mid-April to get some images of the tree blossoms and picked up a good peach blossom and a few apple blossoms then - they're usually long gone by now. (This bodes well for my cactus hunt, as many cacti are early bloomers.)
Anyone know if the "standard" picture of the barn looking to the cliffs is a sunrise or sunset shot?
Brent, I'll take your advice on Surprise Canyon; I've done Headquarters Canyon next door and was quite happy with it - sounds like Surprise is similar but in a different color scheme. Roger, I'm going to see if there's space in that campground this year; last year all of the campgrounds were full and I wound up going to Escalante for an extra day instead.
Timothy, check my Hot Spot article and my Capitol Reef gallery for shots of Lower Cathedral Valley - definitely worth a sunrise!
Guy
I just returned from a week+ in SE Utah. I didn't spend any time in Capitol Reef but took the Burr trail road from Boulder to Notom road. I'd highly recommend getting down into Long Canyon in the late afternoon (as Brent suggested). The cottonwoods are popping green, I saw claret cups and other varieties of cacti. The deeply varnished canyon walls really glow with the reflected afternoon light.
Have fun!
It is a sunset shot. Here is my take on the barn.
http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/d/178-4/Capitol_Reef_01.jpg