PHOTOGRAPHING THE SOUTHWEST - VOL. 1

a Guide to the Natural Landmarks of Southern Utah & Southwestern Colorado

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE by Tom Till
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4
ABOUT THIS BOOK 5
 
PREFACE by Tom Till 3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4
ABOUT THIS BOOK 5
 
Chapter 1 - INTRODUCTION 11
A BIT OF GEOLOGY 12
Introduction 12
The Grand Staircase 12
Sedimentary Layers 13
Other Tectonic Phenomena 15
Rivers 15
Mountains 17
Deserts 17
FLORA AND FAUNA 18
A BIT OF HISTORY 19
Ancient History 19
Archeological Sites Etiquette 21
Recent History 21
WHEN TO VISIT 22
 
Chapter 2 - SOME PHOTOGRAPHIC ADVICE 25
Introduction 26
Film vs. Digital 26
The Middle Way 27
Prints vs. Slides 28
Lab Prints vs. Inkjets 29
What to take on your Trip 29
Photographing Slot Canyons 33
Photographing Dunes and Lava Beds 34
Photographing Scenics including close Subjects 36
Photographing Rock Art 37
More on Exposure 38
Some Advice on Composition 38
A few non-technical Tips 40
Photographing in National Parks 41
 
Chapter 3 - AROUND ZION 43
Checkerboard Mesa 45
The Zion Plateau 46
Canyon Overlook Panorama 47
Towers of the Virgin 47
Court of the Patriarchs 48
Emerald Pools 48
Angel's Landing 49
Temple of Sinawava 50
Virgin Narrows 51
The Great White Throne 52
Kolob Canyon Viewpoint 54
Taylor Creek 55
Crossing Zion by way of the Kolob Terraces 55
The Subway 56
Smithonian Butte 58
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park 58
Pipe Spring National Monument 60
 
Chapter 4 - AROUND BRYCE CANYON 61
Sunrise and Sunset Viewpoints 63
Inspiration Point and Bryce Point 64
Navajo and Queen's Garden Trails 65
Peek-a-Boo Trail 65
Fairyland Viewpoint and Trail 67
Yovimpai Point and Rainbow Point 67
Mossy Cave 67
Red Canyon 68
Cedar Breaks National Monument 69

Chapter 5 - AROUND THE PARIA 71
The Rimrocks 72
The White Rocks 74
Old Pahreah 76
Paria Canyon 77
Wire Pass - Buckskin Gulch 78
Cobra Arch 80
The Coyote Buttes & The Wave 81
The Teepees 87
 
Chapter 6 - GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE 89
Introduction 90
Around Boulder on Scenic Byway 12 91
The Burr Trail 92
Strike Valley and Upper Muley Twist 93
Lower Calf Creek Falls 94
Hole-in-the-Rock Road 96
Devil's Garden 97
Dry Fork of Coyote Gulch & Slot Canyons 99
Out of Egypt 103
Neon Canyon 104
Broken Bow Arch 106
Escalante Petrified Forest 108
Death Hollow 108
Kodachrome Basin State Park 110
Cottonwood Canyon Road 112
The Kaiparowits Plateau 116
 
Chapter 7 - CAPITOL REEF 117
Panorama Point 119
Fruita Oasis 120
The Scenic Drive 120
Hickman Bride & the Navajo Knobs 121
The Waterpocket Fold 123
Introduction to Cathedral Valley 124
The South Desert and the Bentonite Hills 126
Upper Cathedral Valley 127
Lower Cathedral Valley 130
The Caineville Badlands 131
 
Chapter 8 - THE SAN RAFAEL SWELL 133
Factory Butte 134
Dirty Devil Overlook 136
Goblin Valley State Park 136
Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon 138
Along Interstate 70 141
Black Dragon Wash 142
The Wedge Overlook and Buckhorn Draw 144
The Head of Sinbad 144
Rochester Rock Art Panel 145
Nine Mile Canyon 145
The Crystal Geyser 146
Sego Canyon 147
 
Chapter 9 - AROUND CEDAR MESA 149
Edge of the Cedars State Park 150
Butler Wash 151
The Comb Ridge 151
Mule Canyon 151
Road Canyon 152
Grand Gulch 154
Natural Bridges Nat'l Monument 155
Crossing Lake Powell 158
Mokey Dugway and Muley Point 159
Goosenecks of the San Juan 160
Valley of the Gods 160
Mexican Hat, Indian Blanket & Lime Ridge 161
 
Chapter 10 - AROUND MOAB 163
Potash Road 164
Poison Spider Mesa 165
Bowtie & Corona Arch 166
Tukuhnikivats Arch 167
Wilson Arch 169
The La Sal Mountains Loop 169
The Colorado Riverway (SB 128) 170
The Fisher Towers 171
 
Chapter 11 - ARCHES NAT'L PARK 173
Park Avenue & the Courthouse Towers 175
The Petrified Dunes 175
Balanced Rock 175
The Windows 176
Panorama Point 178
Wolfe Ranch Petroglyphs 178
Delicate Arch 179
Delicate Arch Viewpoint 180
The Fiery Furnace 180
Sand Dune Arch & Broken Arch 182
The Devil's Garden 182
The Klondike Bluffs 184
 
Chapter 12 - CANYONLANDS ISLAND IN THE SKY 187
Dead Horse Point State Park 189
Mesa Arch 190
Grand Viewpoint, Murphy Point & Green River Overlook 191
Upheaval Dome 192
The Shafer Trail 192
The White Rim Road 193
 
Chapter 13 - CANYONLANDS THE NEEDLES 196
Newspaper Rock 198
Lavender and Davis Canyon 198
The Scenic Drive 199
Squaw Flat 200
Elephant Hill 201
Chesler Park 202
Druid Arch 203
Horse Canyon, Salt Creek and Angel Arch 204
Canyon Rims 206
 
Chapter 14 - CANYONLANDS THE MAZE 207
Introduction to The Maze 208
Horseshoe Canyon 211
Panorama Point 214
The Maze Overlook 214
Harvest Scene 215
The Land of Standing Rocks 216
The Doll House 218
The Colorado River: Moab to Cataract Canyon 219
Above Canyonlands 220
 
Chapter 15 - AROUND MESA VERDE 221
The Rim 223
Introduction to Chapin Mesa 224
Cliff Palace 226
Spruce Tree House 227
Square Tower Ruin 228
Balcony House 229
Wetherill Mesa 229
Hovenweep Nat'l Monument 230
 
Chapter 16 - SOUTHWESTERN COLORADO 233
Great Sand Dunes Nat'l Monument 234
Across the San Juan Mountains 238
Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nat'l Park 241
Colorado Nat'l Monument 243
 
APPENDIX 247
Maps 250
Selected Bibliography - Guidebooks 251
Selected Bibliography - Other Recommended Reading 252
On the Go Resources 253
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 256
 
indes 258
 

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