Articles: Top Ten National Parks

Arches and Canyonlands

I have combined these two National Parks into one, just because they are right next to each other just outside of Moab, Utah. This also allows one to spend extra time there since there is so much ground to cover. Like any of the locations in the Desert Southwest with Red Rock formations, it is critical to capture the early orange light of the sun on the Red Rock. Within minutes of sunrise, the color in the rock begins to wash out. The last few minutes at the end of the day can also provide wonderful color.

Top 3 Photo Locations

1 Delicate Arch

This arch is probably the most iconic location of the Park. According to the National Park Service, the trail up to the arch is a three-mile round trip with a 480-foot elevation gain. It can be crowded up there as everyone arrives late in the afternoon to get the warm, late daylight on the arch.

2. Double Arch

This location is so much fun to photograph as it provides a multitude of possibilities. It can be photographed from outside the arch, from inside the arch, early or late, or even at night. It's a short walk from the car although the climb up inside the arch can be challenging. It can be a little creepy out there alone at night, so consider that if you plan on doing night photography.

3. Balanced Rock

Depending on the angle, Balanced Rock can have you standing there wondering how it doesn't fall off. It is best photographed early in the morning just as the sun is rising providing nice light on the rock and maybe a little color in the sky depending on the time of the year.

Other Locations

There are many other locations and formations to photograph in the Park. There is no shortage of printed or online guides with more information. These locations include but are not limited to, Park Avenue, Landscape Arch, Courthouse Towers, the La Sal Mountains, The Organ, Turret Arch, and Broken Arch.

Top 3 Photo Locations

1. Mesa Arch

This is probably the most famous arch and location within the Park. The Spring and Fall are best to capture the sunburst as it rises above the horizon in the distance. The sun reflects off the cliff below the arch and onto the bottom of the arch. It is quite spectacular for those few minutes after sunrise. It is the most popular location in the Park, so plan to get there in the dark at least 2 hours before sunrise.

2. Dead Horse Point

This location is adjacent to the Park in Dead Horse Point State Park. The entrance is open 24 hours a day so getting there before sunrise is doable, something different from many State Parks. It's a short walk from the car and usually not too crowded. While it looks good from the main overlook as shown here, there are several other locations to photograph it from.

3. Green River Overlook

I have always found this location looks its best at sunset. It is not an easy location to photograph as canyon formations below can wind up being quite small in your image. Having a great sky is probably more critical to this location than it is to the others.

Best Times To Be At Arches and Canyonlands

The summer can be both crowded and extremely hot, so you might want to avoid those months to make your photographic expedition more enjoyable. Unless, of course, your main focus is to photograph lightning storms and the summer can be pretty good for that. There are also some cool night photography options with the Milky Way over or through some of the rock formations.

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