Returning From Las Vegas Trip - Zion National Park

The route I took back from Vegas to Albuquerque over 2 days, with a stay overnight in Page, AZ

My wife and I were in Vegas for the MWC basketball tourney recently (Go Lobos!).  After spending three days there, she was going to go visit her family in California for a week, so I had a few days to spend returning to Albuquerque and decided to make a photography trip out of it.  After doing some research and planning, I decided five places on the way back I had never had a chance to photograph but had heard so much about:  Valley of Fire State Park in NV, Zion National Park in UT, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope canyon near Page, AZ, and Shiprock in NM.  What a trip it was, 759 miles, loads of photography, and some very desolate, beautiful places!

I headed out Sunday morning and drove through Lake Mead Recreational Area and Valley of Fire State Park.  Cool places, stayed tuned for more on them later, but my big fish for the day was to get to Zion by mid afternoon and have some time to do a hike or two.  I finally made it around 3pm, and couldn't wait!  I had not done any serious photography since the beginning of the year, so I was itching more than usual to get some shots.

Panorama just inside the park entrance.  The actual Zion Canyon, where the scenic drive and hiking trails are, is right in the middle

 Zion is one of the best national parks to hike in, with over 20 trails easily accesible and many other backcountry hikes waiting for the more adventurous.  I took the short scenic drive back into the canyon until I could not go anymore, and headed off on the riverwalk hike, an easy paved trail along the Virgin River in some of the most scenic parts of the park.

Zion canyon and the Virgin River

I spent the next two hours exploring the canyon along the trail and setting up numerous shots.  This time of the year is not the most scenic per se, with spring not yet kicking in so all the trees are barren, but the scenery was breathtaking nonetheless.  A tripod was a must for this, most of the canyon is in deep shadows and requires long exposures and/or exposure blending several shots together.  There were quite a few people out in the great weather, mostly families and lots of small children.

Near the end of the hike the river had a series of small waterfalls and gentle pools

Close-up of a series of waterfalls along the Virgin River

I finally came to the end of the trail, which is also the start of a new hike and area called "The Narrows".  The Narrows is probably the most well known hike in the park and entails hiking for large portions in the Virgin River, which winds through an increasingly narrow section of the canyon wall-to-wall.  Wetsuits and special gear is required for this hike, and it is strenuous considering the loose footing and battling against currents of the river.  It is on my bucket list now after seeing part of it in person!

The beginning of The Narrows in Zion National Park

Once I got back to the car, it was 5:30pm and I still had a 3 hour drive to Page, AZ that night, so this was the only hike I got to do unfortunately.  I would have loved to have more time in the park to explore, but enjoyed the couple hours I did get and am looking forward to going back in the future. 

Up next, I'm working on separate posts for both horseshoe bend and Antelope Canyon.  Stay tuned for these soon!

Happy Shooting!