Arches and Canyonlands Feb. 18 -- 21, 2005 [Arches Gallery] [Canyonlands Gallery] [Back to Photo Page]

The Colorado Plateau in the southwest (Utah, Arizona), home of more than 20 national parks and monuments, is a beautiful sculptured wilderness with brilliant colors. Each national park lies on the Plateau is unique and precious. Arches National Parks, in the northeastern quarter of the Plateau, encompasses a unique concentration of spectacular landforms. More than 2000 arches spanned in the park, ranging from small windows to one of the longest in the world, Landscape Arch, which measures 306 feet. Canyonlands National Park preserves a wilderness of rock at the heart of the Colorado Plateau. Water and gravity have been the prime architects of this land, cutting layers of rocks into hundreds of canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches, and spires. Surrounding the Green and Colorado rivers are vast and three very different regions: Island in the Sky (north), the Maze (west), and the Needles (east).

Getting there ...

This is my first real "photographic" trip in years. My families are still in Taiwan for Chinese New Year, and my friends Fred and Wendy asked me if I'd like to come along to this wonderland to take pictures. Without family duties, it was a very different experience for me this time (no portraits!). We had an early flight (6:20AM) to Salt Lake City, and Fred came to pick me up at 4:30AM! It's about 4-hour drive from SLC to Arches, and it was before 3PM when we got to Moab, where we were going to stay for 3 nights. Moab is a very well developed town for tourists: numerous hotels and restaurants ranging from fine cuisine to all kinds of fast food.

• Balanced Rock, the Windows, and Delicate Arch Viewpoint
  After a short break in the hotel (Best Western), we headed to Arches National Park. The weather was not good; it was cloudy, drizzling with the worst quality of light. We walked around the Windows, and Fred found the place where people take the classic view of "Turret Arch in the North Window", where you need to climb down and up to the other side of the window. Unfortunately, the light was so poor that all of the shots were thrown away (well, at least they were all digital).

The Second Day (Arches) ...

• Sunrise at Window
  We went back to the North Window to wait for sunrise. The sky was still cloudy and no sign of improvement after sunrise. I managed to get a few shots with different exposures although I knew I could not get anything decent under this lighting condition. After we finished here, we took a short walk to the Double Arch which is just on the other side of the parking lot.

• Park Ave
  From the parking area (at the southern end), the trail descends into a spectacular canyon and continues down the wash to Courthouse Towers (at the north end). I liked the view at the trailhead very much. We were surrounded by the tall walls and I felt the scene was so magnificent. I actually did not finish this 1-mile one-way trail since I had to turn back and drove to visitor center .......

• Fiery Furnace
  

  The Fiery Furnace is a mazelike labyrinth of narrow sandstone canyons. Any visitor entering the Fiery Furnace must obtain a hiking permit or join a ranger-guided hike (only offered from April to October). We only stopped by the view point to take a quick look.

• Devils Garden
  The Broken Arch trail is a 1.3-mile loop passed through open grassland and into the canyons with thin fins. When we were in the canyon section, I knew it will be one of Linus' favorite trails. The trail went under the arch where you can see that it's "broken" in the middle, which made us nervous and move faster. After the lunch picnic at the campground, we took the Devils Garden trail headed to one of the longest arches in the world, the Landscape Arch, which measures 306 feet from base to base. The light was still flat, but it was OK since the arch is facing east and we should come here in the morning if the sun goes out.

Broken Arch	Landscape Arch	Sand Dune Arch	Devils Garden

Sand Dune Arch is accessible via a short walk just from the roadside. The trail leads through deep sand to a secluded arch among sandstone fins. The sun has peeked through cloud quietly and the arch was bathed in warming red light bounced from the canyon.

• Delicate Arch
  Delicate Arch is no doubt the icon of the Arches National Park, and the state of Utah, and probably even the entire Southwest areas. The 1.5-mile (one-way) trail climbs 480 feet to the arch. In the tour guide, it says "just before you get to Delicate Arch, the trail goes along a rock ledge for about 200 yards". However, we missed the trail before that and got to the wrong side of the cliff. There was no man-made trail although it did look like a rock ledge with minimal footing. I was able to manage my balance and got to the flat area, but Wendy and Fred decided to turn back and ask for right direction. When I went back through the correct trail path, I met Fred and Wendy in the middle of the ledge where there is a small window opening which you can see Delicate Arch through the hole. It frames the arch nicely and gives us a very different perspective.
  Since Fred was working with his large format camera, Wendy helped him carry equipment, prepare for setup, handle films, etc. without complaint, which remind me of Woanyu 10 years ago :-) We were so lucky that we got the perfect weather/lighting condition at the prime location after two days of frustration. I don't think I can ask anything more.

The Third Day (Canyonlands) ...

• Sunrise
  We went back to the Windows in Arches again this morning. It was rainy and windy, and we did not even get out of the car.

• Dead Horse Point State Park
  

  Towering 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, Dead Horse Point State Park provides a breathtaking panorama of Canyonlands' sculptured pinnacles and buttes. The highlight of the park is at the viewpoint of southern tip where the Colorado River bends 180 degrees.

• Island in the Sky, Canyonlands
  Canyonlands National Park consists of three distinct regions: Island in the Sky (north), the Maze (west), and the Needles (east). Island in the Sky is the most accessible region and is only 32 miles from Moab. Views from Island in the Sky reach from the depths of the Green and Colorado Rivers to the mountaintops and above. Closest to the mesa's edge is the White Rim, a nearly continuous sandstone bench 1,200 feet below the Island. Another 1,000 feet beneath White Rim are the rivers, shadowed by sheer canyon cliffs.

• Shafer Canyon
  

  The first view of the canyon will remind anyone of Grand Canyon.

• Mesa Arch
  Like Delicate Arch in Arches, Mesa Arch in Canyonlands is probably one of the most recognizable formations (or photos) in the park. I have seen its photos with the arch partially in the frame (like this one), but when I first saw the arch at the end of the trail, I was surprised that it was not big at all.

• Upheaval Dome
  

  The jagged core of Upheaval Dome reveals a jumble of White Rim Sandstone ringed by slopes of Moenkopi and Chinle formations which rise to Wingate and Kayenta cliffs. The origin of this crater-like structure is uncertain. Although it is geologically interesting, it may not be a good object for photographers IMHO. We only hiked to the first overlook to get some pictures.

• Green River Overlook, Buck Canyon Overlook
  After lunch at the Upheaval Dome area, we headed south to see more canyons in the park.
  

Green River Overlook		Buck Canyon Overlook

 

• Grand View Point
  Grand View Point is a vast panorama offering magnificent vistas across the Colorado canyons, to the distant La Sal Mountains in the east and the Needles area to the south. It is situated high above the north side of a complex system of canyons known as Monument Basin. A further 1-mile trail leads to the very end point of the Island plateau, where the cliffs drop away in all directions, and the canyons of both rivers can be seen.

• Back to Dead Horse Point
  We went back to Dead Horse Point for sunset (since we had already paid the entrance fee this morning). Although the river bend is too close to the western side of canyon and the sunlight cannot reach the river at this time of a day, it still provides nice views of canyons around all directions with warm colors.

The Last Day,

• Mesa Arch
  I wanted to go to Mesa Arch to get the photo where the red light illuminated under the arch, but my friend Fred still wanted to go to the Windows in Arches to get the "Turret Arch in the Window". After negotiation, we decided that I'll drop Fred off at the Windows at 5:30AM, and I'll go to Mesa Arch in Canyonlands, then I'll come back to the Windows to pick Fred up at 8:30AM.
  When I got to Mesa Arch, I was surprised that there were already 5 other folks waiting there with tripods aligned under the arch. There was a little bit too much cloud this morning which diffused the golden color. The timing was so important to get the bottom of the arch illuminated with the warm color, which only last for a few minutes.
  I went back to Arches at around 8:40AM and Fred just walked out to the parking lot. The timing was perfect and both of us got what we want.

• Back to Arches
  Since we still had a half day to spend, we decided to go back to Arches for those vistas where we did not get good shots because the bad weather on the first day.

From the park newspapers, they have compiled a feature list for photographers to decide where to go at the right time.

Going Home ...

After lunch at the picnic area around the Balanced Rock, we began our 4-hour drive back to Salt Lake City. We rented a SUV this time, but we did not actually use it to explore any back roads. I know I will come back to these national parks again with my family in a few years since I don't think they want to miss these wonderful places. When we come again, we will try to visit some more remote areas with 4-wheel-drive access.

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