Zion National Park Photography Trip Report of Mountains and Canyons

New Fine Art Pictures of Zion National Park and Capitol Reef National Park

See Also the Complete Galleries For

Zion National Park Photography
Utah Desert Landscape Photography


I had a crazy nine days in Utah exploring areas I had not been to before, while trying to capture some fall color. The Weather Gods gave me clouds only on one day so most of the time was spent searching for more intimate scenes that would not have sky in them.

After flying into Las Vegas, I made it up to Snow Canyon State Park for sunset. I hiked out to an area called Petrified Dunes, which seemed like a perfect name, as the mounds of rock looked as though they might have been sand at one point. I was even allowed a few clouds, although that would be the last I would see of that for days.

Brilliant sunset skies above the red rock formations in Snow Canyon Utah
"Snow Canyon" - Click Photo To Purchase


The following was a long day to get up to Hanksville to explore the canyons south of there to Hite, Utah and the area around Lake Powell. On a previous trip there in August, I did not get the chance to photograph the east side of Factory Butte before sunrise during what is known as “blue hour” for the bluish cast that you get before the sun comes up.

Early morning shadows and a lone red rock on the hard sand Purple ridges of Factory Butte, Utah
"Desert Shadows" - Click Photo To Purchase


With that accomplished, it was down to the area of red rock canyons around Hite. This was the one day that I actually had clouds! I did my best to make the most of it. The Cottonwood trees turn yellow that time of year and the ones there did not disappoint.

A large orange rock formation in the shape of a beacon or lighthouse in the Utah desert
"The Beacon" - Click Photo To Purchase


Exploding clouds above a red rock canyon in the Utah desert
"Canyon Explosion" - Click Photo To Purchase


A lone Cottonwood tree in bright yellow fall color against a red rock wall in the Utah desert
"Hidden Away" - Click Photo To Purchase


Capitol Reef National Park is west of Hanksville, Utah, and while a small national park, it has some neat rock formations and some really nice Cottonwood trees, some very old.

A vertical view of a lone Cottonwood tree in yellow fall color against a red rock wall in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
"Red Contrast" - Click Photo To Purchase


A massive spire in the corner of a red rock canyon wall in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
"Corner Spire" - Click Photo To Purchase


A vertical view of a lone Cottonwood tree in yellow fall color with layers of green and yellow tall grass in front of it in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
"Capitol Colors" - Click Photo To Purchase


After three days there, it was time to head back down to Zion National Park to see what fall color scenes I could get there. On the way there, I wanted to stop at the colorful Paria Canyon, a place that had simply escaped my attention before. I arrived at the perfect time, late in the afternoon. This was just an unexpected bonus and exceeded my expectations.

Layers of multiple colors in the sloping rock in the Utah desert
"Desert Flow" - Click Photo To Purchase


Red and green colors in the sloping rock formation in the Utah desert
"Cascading Colors" - Click Photo To Purchase


I finished up with three days in Zion National Park. Photographing the towering rock formations was just not an option as there was not one wisp of a cloud. Plain blue skies just don’t cut it. So, the challenge was on. I have been to Zion before, but always had nice clouds. I was now going to have to work for it, finding good scenes without clouds.

A vertical view of massive red rock columns on the side of a mountain in Zion National Park, Utah
"Vertical" - Click Photo To Purchase


Warm sunrise light on a group of trees in the fall in Zion National Park, Utah
"Morning Warmth" - Click Photo To Purchase


Dark shadows on a lone red rock formation in Zion National Park, Utah
"Zion Shadows" - Click Photo To Purchase


Cottonwood trees in yellow fall color against a red rock wall at the Temple of Sinewava in Zion National Park, Utah
"Sinawava Colors" - Click Photo To Purchase



Brillant red leaves and gray tree limbs against a red rock wall in Zion National Park
"Zion Red" - Click Photo To Purchase


Yellow, pink, orange and green colors from the trees and bushes against a red rock wall in Zion National Park
"Canyon Surprise" - Click Photo To Purchase


Thanks for looking and feel free to share. You can also follow the journey on Facebook or Instagram for more current photographs that may not be on the blog. We appreciate all those that follow us. https://www.facebook.com/JosephFilerPhotography and https://www.instagram.com/josephfiler