Real American Rockies Tour - when?

[butterfly]

Hi,

Next year, when I know funds will be available, I would love to go to see these places (a suggested 'complete north america travel website itinerary'):

Denver, Keystone, Colorado, Keystone, south Dakota, Yellowstone, Grand Teton NP, Jackson hole, Canyonlands Park, Mesa Verde NP, Mount Rushmore. Self-drive, couple of days at each place.

So, any thoughts? Too much, too little, bad idea? And when would be the best time, photographically speaking? Landscapes are my thing, not too interested in photographing wildlife (although do enjoy views through binoculars).

I'd plan to take my 4x5.

Thoughts appreciated. Worried if I go at the height of the tourist season I'm not going to be able to get decent shots with people being all over the place, but go out of season and risk bad weather. Heat/cold not a problem for me (I live in the UK!).

Regards

Steve

[Dave Brown]

The best time for any national park in the U.S. is during the 2 or 3 weeks before Memorial Day (last Monday in May) or during the 2 or 3 weeks following Labor Day (first Monday in September). During these times the weather is generally good, and the crowds small. Having said that, be aware that at any time of year if you are willing to hike more than a half hour from the trail head, you'll be virtually alone. The park service attempts to open roads in mountain parks by Memorial Day, but keep in mind there are no guarantees.

Photographically speaking, early season means more snow on the peaks, mid-season means more greenery, and late season means drier, and possible fall colors.

That's a pretty ambitious itinerary, probably more than I would take on in one trip. If you decide to break it up into more than one trip, consider adding Arches N.P. and Monument Valley (near Canyon Lands) and Rocky Mountain N.P. (1.5 hrs. north of Denver)

db

[Alan Rabe]

I second Dave. I go out "west" every couple of years. I have found that Moab, UT. is the best place to use as a kind of base. It sits between Arches and Canyonlands, and is just a few hours north of Monument Valley. The Escalante and Capital reef are a few hours west of it. It is just large enough to have all kinds of lodging and restaurants and just about every thing else you will need, except a camera shop, but small enough to feel homey. It is also a mountain bike mecca if your into that.

[eric black]

if you have that type of time available, keep some flexibility in your plans so you can track weather and conditions to optimize your shooting. Too rigid a schedule and only a couple of days per location might have you mising some truly opportune situations. The area I would add is northern New Mexico, especially in May, with awesome hiking and scenery around the Taos area.

[Don Boyd]

Steve,

Schools usually start here following Labor Day at the end of August and your will find fewer family vacationers following that. Also, be aware that while the weather may be starting to turn cool in your bit of the planet, it can still be very hot in Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado until October. Much of the red rock country in those places is still cooking and hiking with camera gear in the heat can be fatiguing and unenjoyable. You will experience cooler weather and enjoy fall colors if you wait until mid October to November; fewer people out then as well. (Fore example, the color change in Zion National Park is usually very nice the first week in November and the trams stop running then so you can drive to more places on your own.) There are no guarantees about weather but planning gives you the greatest likelihood of success.

Maximize your shooting and viewing time by doing loads of preplanning. My suggestion would be to get a good map of the American Southwest and the following books or newsletters:

1. Photographing the Southwest, Vol. 1, 2 and 3. You can visit the author's site here to learn more and get a taste for the places that he has been to and his knowledge of the areas. The advantage of these books are that you will get loads of good shooting places to go to but also best times of day to be there photographically: www.martres.com

2. Travel Guide for Photographers: http://phototravelercatalog.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.100.exe/scstore/home.html?E+scstore

You best understand your shooting style. My own suggests that if you try to visit too many places you end up seeing little of any of them. (I once spent 6 weeks in the Escalante-Grand Staircase, Utah area and still didn't get to see all of what I wanted to.)

Best of luck!

[butterfly]

I am so glad I asked, so thanks for your replies. Taking advice, I think I would rather be centred in one place and venture out from there each day. Moab looks ideal as you say, and looking it up on the net, says it is close to arches and canyonlands. I'd rather get around less and concentrate on getting some quality images without the rush around. It's a bit of a chasing your tail scenario having a fixed agenda.

I hope it will be cheaper as well !

thanks once again. I'd rather go early next year rather than later, so it looks like first 2 weeks of May - how does this sound?

Regards

Steve

[butterfly]

Sorry, me again! There's no way I could drive from Denver to Moab after the flight from the UK, so wondering if it would be better to stay first night in Denver and then start out early next day, or next best would be to find a mid-way point hotel between Denver and Moab.

Does anyone know where a convenient mid-point place would be, assuming close to I70West, so I can start a search for a hotel.

Thanks

Steve

[Alan Rabe]

Vail is the best midway point between Denver and Moab, I think Copper Mountain is also about midway but is very small. Early May is an ideal time in Moab. Here is the Moab tourist link http://www.moab-utah.com/. You can find out just about anything you want to know.

[Chauncey Walden]

Be warned though that May in Moab is not really low season anymore. The mountain bikers/hikers have a high presence there because it is not blistering hot like summer. Actually, the only time Moab is not crowded is reflected in the low motel prices of December and January when a room can be had for $25 that in February through November goes for $89. May is mud season in Vail (2 hours from Denver) and although prices are lowest then, they still may not be very reasonable. And, you have two mountain passes to cross to get to Vail and you could run into a snowstorm like yesterday's. Mid-May would be safer, and getting a good night's rest in Denver before tackling driving on the wrong side might be safer, too. Have fun.

[Alan Rabe]

My favorite time to go is late October to early November. The daytime temps are still in the mid 70's and the rates are reasonable. But shop around, the link I gave has every motel, lodge and such. There is even a hostel in Moab, I think it's the Lazy Lizard or something, They have cabins for around $20 a night. But if you get off main street rates can be a little more reasonable. Check out the link for the Red Stone Inn, it has an Events Calendar which should let you know what else is going on in Moab. If you can schedule your trip between events you can have better luck. This weekend they are having a photography symposium, a golf tournament and a quarter horse show.

[John Kasaian]

Sorry, me again! There's no way I could drive from Denver to Moab after the flight from the UK, so wondering if it would be better to stay first night in Denver and then start out early next day, or next best would be to find a mid-way point hotel between Denver and Moab.

Does anyone know where a convenient mid-point place would be, assuming close to I70West, so I can start a search for a hotel.

Thanks

Steve

What time will you be arriving in Denver? There is a lot of gorgeous countryside between Denver and Moab so I suggest taking advantage of the daylight to maximize your photo ops.

Denver is a big city so I think you've got a good plan---get out of Dodge (or in this case Denver) and hole up for the night in a little town with no gridlock like Frisco, Rifle or Grand Junction to the West or Buena Vista if you're going more towards the South. For budget motels check out Motel 6, Super 8 and Holiday Inn Express chains. FWIW, most of these have windowless bathrooms that are ideal for loading your film holders.

[Jay W]

Be warned though that May in Moab is not really low season anymore.

When I've been out there in March, the locals talk about the end of March as the "start" of the tourist season. There's a big Jeep rally out there in the end of March and then the mt bikers arrive. It's so warm in the summer, that most people come to this area before or after the hot weather of June-September. If you're going from the UK to Moab in May, I believe you'll find it quite warm. As in, sunrise pictures, hibernate inside during midday, and then out for evening light.

It's a fantastic area for photography.

Jay Wenner