Arches NP

[ignatiusjk]

Have any of you been to Arches NP and if so when is the best time of the year t ogo? I was thinking of a October,November trip. Any advise.

[Bruce Watson]

Have any of you been to Arches NP and if so when is the best time of the year to go? I was thinking of a October, November trip. Any advice?

That's when I have gone, and would do so again. It's cooler then, and motel rates are going to off-season around that time too. And there is less wind than spring. But the high desert is beautiful at all times of the year; there's really not a bad time to go.

[BarryS]

I went in late October and I thought the weather was perfect. I've also been around there in the spring and it was equally nice. Arches is just spectacular and it's very hard to do it justice in photographs--but it's fun trying.

[timbo10ca]

I went last september to Arches, Red Canyon, Zion and through Monument Valley. I think it was perfect- cool weather for hiking and good atmospheric conditions. We had deep blue sky with nice scattered puffy white clouds the whole time. Except on the last day when I had hiked up to Delicate Arch to get a sunset photo. The one I was waiting for the whole trip...... Overcast all day :( My brother was in Arches a few years ago in late spring/ summer- lots of rain and HOT!!!! He was with me on this trip of mine and said it was much easier on the body.

Tim

[Richard Wall]

I was there in 2006 in late May or early June. It was already getting hot during the daytime. However, it cooled off nicely once the sun went down. I would go out early to shoot then do a little hiking and spend the hottest part of the afternoon scouting locations for the next days shoot, so the heat was not too much of a factor. Once the sun started to go down I would do a little more shooting at sunset and twilight and then head into Moab for a few beers and dinner. The Jailhouse Cafe in Moab is a good place for breakfast, if you don't get out too early.

Richard

[Brian Ellis]

If you decide to try a sunset photograph at Delicate Arch make sure you get there early. When I did it the area was jammed with other photographers and it was difficult to find a good place to set up. Plus there was a Japanese nut who walked out to the arch and stayed there, dancing around like the fool he was, until the photographers finally threatened en masse to throw him off the ledge if he didn't get out of there.

[Brian Vuillemenot]

If you decide to try a sunset photograph at Delicate Arch make sure you get there early. When I did it the area was jammed with other photographers and it was difficult to find a good place to set up. Plus there was a Japanese nut who walked out to the arch and stayed there, dancing around like the fool he was, until the photographers finally threatened en masse to throw him off the ledge if he didn't get out of there.

Wow, I had almost the exact same experience, complete with the nut job dancing under the arch at sunset almost enciting a riot amongst the photogs! A bit earlier than that, I watched in shock as a man helped his five year old try to climb up the arch for a picture. In the relativel small slickrock area around the arch, there must have been about 200 people at sunset. Fortunately, though, almost all of them cleared out right after the sun set, leaving plenty of room for me to photograph in the afterflow, when the rock gets a nice deep orange color.

[Alan Rabe]

The two best time of the year to go to the Arches area are October and April. The days are in the low 70s and the nights get to 40 or so. You'll love Arches but don't forget Canyonlands. Island In The Sky is very close and very nice. If you have a 4X4 you can take the White Rim road which takes you a long the lower canyon. If your in and out in a day you don't need a backcountry pass.
A note of warning. Due to the actions of a "photographer" who shall remain nameless, who started a fire under Delicate Arch, the rangers are on the look out for dudes with, as they call them, big cameras. Don't be suprised if you see them checking you out on occasion.

Have fun and enjoy.

[HBDesert]

I go out to Moab a couple times a year. It's one of the most amazing places on the planet. If you do have a 4x4 with decent clearance and a little experience offroading you can get to some outstanding areas.
I'll be there in a few weeks with my 4x5 and 12x20 for an annual Nissan offroad event www.gonemoab.com (http://www.gonemoab.com).

Take Care,

Doug

[Eric Brody]

Alan, why should Fatali remain nameless after the colossally stupid thing he did?

Eric

[timbo10ca]

Wow, I had almost the exact same experience, complete with the nut job dancing under the arch at sunset almost enciting a riot amongst the photogs! A bit earlier than that, I watched in shock as a man helped his five year old try to climb up the arch for a picture. In the relativel small slickrock area around the arch, there must have been about 200 people at sunset. Fortunately, though, almost all of them cleared out right after the sun set, leaving plenty of room for me to photograph in the afterflow, when the rock gets a nice deep orange color.

Ha ha. Me too! Except I had a huge Mexican family hanging out underneath. Fortunatly, a guy who had struck up a conversation with me regarding my camera knew Spanish and politely asked them all to move for me. I was there a good hour or so before sunset and a LF camera is a bit of a spectacle, so the family and another 20 people or so cleared out for me to make my exposures....... It was actually kinda embarassing having that much attention on me :p

[jetcode]

some things I learned about 4 wheel drive and Canyonlands:

If you rent a 4x4, make sure you can take it off road because some rental companies will not (what's the point?) and I didn't find that out until I told the clerk on the return.

If you see a 4x4 trail but it is blocked somehow there is a really good reason for it. I hiked up one trail and discovered just how difficult it would have been to navigate. I was told the local garage has a wall filled with photos of trucks they've towed.

[Alan Rabe]

Publicity, even bad publicity, is in many cases good. It stimulates interest, and I just as well wish the world would forget he exists.

[Eric Brody]

Alan,

Point well made.

Eric

[mrladewig]

I've gone in March, May and October and have been to Moab about a dozen times over the years. I've also been in the Utah desert in September, though not to Arches. All were fine. It can get quite hot by June and stays that way through August. May and September can be variable in temperatures, so its a gamble between hot and comfortable temps.

An advantage to shooting in the spring is that the La Sal mountains in the background will still have snow. Early May is typically wildflower season in southern Utah.

I've got a pretty built up jeep which I've used to drive many of the 4WD trails and previously mountain biked in the Moab area quite often. Be advised that there are many 4WD trails in Moab that will get a regular SUV in big trouble. They are not marked like runs at a ski area. Get a 4WD guidebook to make sure you stay off these routes unless you are prepared and experienced with that type of driving.

While Arches is a cool area I think there is much more to see from a trip to the Moab area. If you can work it out and visit Canyonlands NP, the Needles District has alot to offer as does the Island in the Sky. My wife likes Arches NP the best. To me, the Needles District has been the most interesting so far. But I'm leaving tomorrow for the Maze District of Canyonlands and I may have a new favorite.

That said, there is enough subject matter in southern Utah to keep one very busy for a long time.

[Robert Hall]

My favorite time to go is over Christmas. The numbers are low and I get some very cool shots with snow on the ground.

I have hiked my 12x20 up to the arch with some good results. Once it is setup I have little problems with getting people to step aside while I shoot, then back to business as usual. I have found for the most part if people are politely asked, they are quite willing to help out. (aside from the occasional fool)

[trink408]

I have been in the Arches area several times in spring/early summer, they have always been wonderful trips. I will say if you get into late May/June the mid-day temps start getting pretty serious. I love the heat so it doesn't bother me too bad, but long hikes can become a challenge.

I like Arches, but Canyonlands is probably my favorite "park". I hope to make it back out there with a 4 wheel drive and do more exploring in that area...

[anchored]

Just returned two days ago from shooting Canyonlands... weather was beautiful but skies not very dramatic. Three years ago went to Arches in early May... again weather was beautiful with dramatic skies every day, but getting quite warm. Skies apparently the luck of the draw.

I personally like Canyonlands WAY better than Arches... the landscapes are more varied and less people to interfere with photography. Three years ago we toured most of the parks and sites across Southern Utah on a three-week trip... Arches can yield some interesting scenes, but in my opinion there are far better parks in the region (Capital Reef, Canyonlands, Escalante, Glen Canyon, and Zion in my opinion all provide better and more varied opportunities).

[MumbleyJoe]

I'm resurrecting this thread rather than start up my own.

I'm planning a photo trip in April and Arches is one of the leading contenders among my companions, but I'm just not feeling that drawn to it. All I ever really come across seems to be the really cliche postcard shots. It seems quite well-loved, but I'm just not feeling it. It doesn't strike me as a great place to create unique photographs (not that I'm the best man to take up the task either, but I do try).

So, am I being an idiot by steering away from Arches? Does anyone want to point me to some interesting work from Moab/Arches that's atypical of what I'd find on the gift shop postcards? I feel like a bit of an idiot for asking, but I would sincerely love to get a better idea of what's out there, but I'm drawing a blank (please, point to your own work too). I don't want to make the trip and find myself standing in line to take a photo of delicate arch with everyone else, and yet I don't want to miss a great opportunity because there great stuff is all buried under the millions of postcard shots.

Any help would be appreciated. :)

[Erik Larsen]

I'm resurrecting this thread rather than start up my own.

I'm planning a photo trip in April and Arches is one of the leading contenders among my companions, but I'm just not feeling that drawn to it. All I ever really come across seems to be the really cliche postcard shots. It seems quite well-loved, but I'm just not feeling it. It doesn't strike me as a great place to create unique photographs (not that I'm the best man to take up the task either, but I do try).

So, am I being an idiot by steering away from Arches? Does anyone want to point me to some interesting work from Moab/Arches that's atypical of what I'd find on the gift shop postcards? I feel like a bit of an idiot for asking, but I would sincerely love to get a better idea of what's out there, but I'm drawing a blank (please, point to your own work too). I don't want to make the trip and find myself standing in line to take a photo of delicate arch with everyone else, and yet I don't want to miss a great opportunity because there great stuff is all buried under the millions of postcard shots.

Any help would be appreciated. :)

Hi MumbleyJoe,
I live an hour and half from Moab and make it down there once or twice a month at least. There is a lot more to the area than just Arches and Canyonlands, but you should at least visit them just to see them. They are spectacular landscapes but you are right about cliche shots with the tourists. Forget Delicate Arch and Mesa Arch unless you just want to see what you can do at those spots, you probably won't do better than the millions of photographers who came before you:) (I've tried though:)

I would skip the Maze unless you have a serious 4x4. Not all of the roads are that hard, but there is always at least one spot that will stop a normal 4x4 in it's tracks. You need clearance more than anything. It is a long haul into the Maze and you will have to reserve a campsite ahead of time as there are not many sites and they all book in spring as the weather is nice. If you want solitude however, the Maze is great. You may not see another soul after you get to your camp.

Just up the river from Moab is Professor valley with a lot of interesting landscape and Fisher Tower.

South of Moab are a bunch of ruins to visit if you like that kind of stuff.

I could go on and on and depending how long you are visiting you could see quite a lot. The light is nice that time of year and the weather could be nice or it could be pretty cold as well.

If you have any questions I can answer, let me know. I've pretty much been all over the area.
regards
Erik

[Ivan J. Eberle]

I had Delicate Arch all to myself at first light and for nearly 3 hours right after a 6" snowfall in late December. There was unplowed snow on the way in, 4WD was a necessity, and it was a bit spooky to realize that if it'd been even a little bit icy underneath the snow, sliding over the lip into the bowl or over ~1000' cliff edge on the other side would have been a real possibility.

[austin granger]

I just wanted to second going around Christmas. Not to gloat or anything, but believe it or not, I had delicate arch completely to myself for over an hour. If the pictures I made aren't transcendent, well, my time there certainly was!

http://austingranger.com/web/lights/80-delicate_arch_utah.jpg

www.austingranger.com

[austin granger]

I had Delicate Arch all to myself at first light and for nearly 3 hours right after a 6" snowfall in late December. There was unplowed snow on the way in, 4WD was a necessity, and it was a bit spooky to realize that if it'd been even a little bit icy underneath the snow, sliding over the lip into the bowl or over ~1000' cliff edge on the other side would have been a real possibility.

Ivan, you beat me to the punch. I guess I'm not the only photographer lucky enough to have been granted solitude at Delicate Arch! I'm glad you didn't go over the edge. :)

[Heroique]

...It doesn't strike me as a great place to create unique photographs...

Wow, that sounds just like the “not too impressed (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=72163)” thread about Zion NP.

Try not to let everyone else’s photo work at Arches influence you. Just go! Walk out on the many trails. And please don’t let anyone convince you that Delicate Arch is a hackneyed image to avoid. Hike to it. Go early or late for the best light. No, go early the first time. Go late the second time. You’ll avoid crowds both times. Here’s a secret. I’ve counted the number of original photos that can be taken at Arches NP, and I can assure you: The postcards have missed several. What’s more, all the photographers who beat you there have missed several, too.

I was about to recommend Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire (a brief account of his time there as a ranger before it was a NP). I thought it might whip-up some anti-postcard inspiration in advance of your trip. But forget Abbey. Forget him just like the postcards. Don’t read him. Just depend on yourself. I predict Arches will overwhelm you w/ unique photo opportunities; you’ll capture many of them; and we’ll be eager to see your work here when you return.

;)

[SW Rick]

You might be interested in Dan Baumbach/Bret Edge's iFotoGuide to Arches, an iPhone/iPad app. It has a lot of good info you can carry around with you, and is well worth the $4.99 price.

[John Jarosz]

I was there around June 20, and it would get quite hot in the sun. Lotsa people at the well known locations.

Interestingly, I've found that when I was shooting 4x5 I would get lots of questions/comments. With the 8x20 the opposite is true, people walk around me like I am some infernal apparition and never say anything. (maybe I am)

There are so many places to photograph in that part of the country, I skip any well known spot.

[Drew Wiley]

Oct and esp Nov are gorgeous there. It's easy to get away from people, and probably
won't be crowded that time of year anyway. Why the heck does everyone think that
the only thing there is Delicate Arch? Herd mentality I guess. But if you go off-trail
(which I highly recommend) be sure to have plenty of water, avoid the "mazes" down
in the "fins", and realize that slickrock really is slick when it's wet. Generally you get
cold nites and warm days that time of year. The northern section of Canyonlands is
adjacent and a single park pass lets you into both. The town of Moab is a bit of a zoo
and magnet for trail bikers, but a few minutes out of town and there's plenty to
photograph. Don't miss the drive right along the Colorado River up toward Cisco,
Castleton Valley, and Fisher Towers. The Abajo Mtns are also nearby and wonderful,
but be aware of where the deer hunters are in late Oct, and the potential for snow.
There are numerous places to camp if you can't stand the motels in town. Deadhorse
Point has fabulous sunrises.

[Brian Ellis]

If you go in the spring and plan to stay in Moab avoid the period when Moab has its annual (I think) car show. I forget what they call it and exactly when it's held, Erik probably knows. But during that time the stores and restaurants are jammed and the motels are all full, the streets are crowded, people sit out on the curbs from one end of town to the other until all hours of the night watching the cars slowly drive up and down the street. I made the mistake of inadvertently picking that period last year and regretted it. Not that it ruins the trip for photography, it just makes the Moab part less pleasant than it otherwise would be.

[John T]

The car show is usually the end of April. AVOID the town at this time

Like Austin and Ivan, I was there in December-only 3 other photographers and a couple other small groups for the 3 hours I was @ Delicate Arch.

Winter is also great since it is the off season-hotels are less than 1/2 price.

Bonus, good tasting food and beer at the Moab Brewery (although, like everything in Utah, low point beer)

[SocalAstro]

Easter week(end) is another one to avoid in Moab; That's when the Jeep safari takes place, unless you're into Jeeps :-)

http://www.moabhappenings.com/events%20year.htm

-Leon

[mrladewig]

There is a classic car show and Easter Jeep Safari in the spring. You want to avoid both, though the latter is far worse.

I've been in Moab many times in both Spring and Fall. In Spring, typically April is windy, but March and May are not bad. Early May is nice for the flowers. I've been in the late summer and it can still be very hot. Fall is nice and the cottonwoods, aspens and oaks in the area can be beautiful. Fall colors are around the October-November timeframe.

[Sirius Glass]

July through the end of September can be hot. You can get either heat or snow in March. Easter Jeep Safari is great is you are an off roader.

Green Grocery Getter ==> Not!
Soccer Mom's Car ==> Not!

[Bruce Schultz]

German tourists under Delicate when I was there. I hauled 8x10 up the ice-covered trail, got there and managed to squeeze in a spot among about 100 people. My tripod was on a steep incline and I had to be careful not to kick it off into the bowl.
2 idiots speaking German were prancing around under the arch, posing and taking their time while the light was fading. I decided I had driven too far (1,500 miles) to let these idiots ruin the shot. So at the top of my lungs I yelled: "YOU'RE IN MY PICTURE!!!!" The crowd went silent, and the 2 posers ran out of the arch as though a missile was about to strike.
2 1-second shots, and I was packing up for the trek back down the trail.

[Vaughn]

The last time I was at Arches, I avoided Delicate Arch, but did go up to the viewpoint across the way from it and saw it from a distance. It was mid-July (2006) -- well over 100F. We had promised my boys a day at the waterpark in Moab, but record torrential rains the day before we got there flooded the waterpark and silted it up so bad it was closed for days.

The nat. park campgrounds were full, so we found a place to camp in a BLM campground along the Colorado River. So instead of the waterpark, we enjoyed the Colorado River.

Sorry, not LF...The Mudmen of Moab...

[Robert Hall]

In 2003 I was down at the arch across the way on the escarpment to the south. I had setup a shot but had about a dozen people running about to and fro on the arch. They were about 300 yards away and was standing there wondering how I was going to get the shot without the people in it. Right then, my Bask girl friend yelled at the top of her healthy lungs... "Get down please!!!" and about as long as it took the sound to get over there, everyone just disappeared! I took my 2 shots and she yelled "Thank you!" and everyone just popped up again.

Weirdest thing I have seen in a long time.

Thanks to all the folks who participated. lol

[John Jarosz]

Highway 128 east from the park & Moab is a wonderful route. Couple of nice spots to stop next to the river as well as filming locations from old movies.

[MumbleyJoe]

Naturally I asked the question just before I had to travel, so I seemed to abandon the thread I resurrected.

Thanks for all of the great insights. I appreciate knowing that many of you find plenty of inspiration there, apart from the obvious vistas. I'll have to do a little more digging - I was hoping for more self-promotion, i.e., pics from you all. :) Not to replicate, just to familiarize myself a bit.

I've done two previous trips to Utah around that time of year, but have generally been closer to Zion. Interestingly Zion never really resonated with me at the time, but I'm anxious to get back now as my tastes and interests have changed. Anyway, I've never been up around Arches so I'm not sure what to expect from the landscape, so it has felt like going at it blind somewhat. These trips are infrequent and costly, so I like to go as well prepared as I can. Closer to home I'm more content to just scout for a day and not photograph much.

Anyhow - thanks again for all the great responses. I'll start pouring over the details a little more now.

(Thanks also for mentioning the car show in Moab, I knew about the Jeep thing, but that was it).

[venchka]

Capital Reef? Dead Horse Point? Get way back out of the way in Canyonlands? I drove to the end of one of the roads in Canyonlands. Nobody there. Good scenery.
You'll find your own private spot. Enjoy.

[Alan McConnell]

Myself and a couple of other guys head out to the southwest every year during my springbreak (last week of March). I love that time of year, although it can get a bit cold for some people. We've been to many areas, but we always seem to end up back at Arches and spend a bit of time in Moab. Good beer at the brewpub. I would recommend making reservations ahead of time if you plan on camping at the park campground. I've got mine for this year. This makes it much easier to get up in the morning to photograph. Even though arches like Landscape Arch have been photographed thousands of times, it's still cool to be out their during the early morning hours. How much longer will it last is a good question. Utah has so many cool places to visit.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Very nice clean motel rooms are cheap in Moab midwinter, like $40-50 night at the Best Western. "Zaks" right on the main drag also the best pizza and breakfasts for many a mile, at least to my palette (but I'd invite debate on this to find other spots for when next I return).

[MumbleyJoe]

Given some of the awful meals I've had when I'm out on these trips, I appreciate the food recommendations as much as the shooting locations. :)

[Vaughn]

You mean there are photographers that eat something else besides cold cereal in the morning and PB&J's the rest of the day?!

[Erik Larsen]

In Moab you have the usual fast food places and Denny's and a couple brew pubs with nothing special for food imo (Eddie Mcstiffs, Moab Brewery, Slickrock Cafe). There's a nice Italian spot on the corner of ? and the main drag you can't miss. If you want a nice view in a pretty location drive 20 miles upstream on 128 toward Castle Valley and and eat at the Red Cliffs Inn which has a winery and a little movie museum with all sorts of stuff related to films that have been shot in the area. Go a mile further upstream and there is the Sorrel River Ranch which is nice but a little over priced imo. If you just want a steak, there's the Buckhorn which is on the outskirts of Moab to the North. All of these places are except for the Red Cliff Inn and Sorrel River Ranch you can't miss because Moab basically only has one road of any interest.

I'm with Vaughn though, cereal and PBandJ are hard to beat:)
regards
Erik

[goamules]

re: Delicate Arch crowds. I wonder if anyone ever just shoots the picture letting people remain in the shot? I mean, it's perhaps more artificial to simulate isolation and grandeur by having everyone hide, when the norm at sunset is a crowd of folks. Just thinking out loud....

The last time I was there we passed an older gentleman who had a heart attack about half way up the trail. My sister is a trama room nurse, and she said he was a code blue just by looking at him. Throngs of people kept walking up the trail past him and the EMTs that were working on him. When we got to the arch, watching the sunset, you could hear and see the life flight helo taking him away....he didn't quite make it to the arch. Now that's a picture to remember....

[Brian Ellis]

re: Delicate Arch crowds. I wonder if anyone ever just shoots the picture letting people remain in the shot? I mean, it's perhaps more artificial to simulate isolation and grandeur by having everyone hide, when the norm at sunset is a crowd of folks. Just thinking out loud....

The last time I was there we passed an older gentleman who had a heart attack about half way up the trail. My sister is a trama room nurse, and she said he was a code blue just by looking at him. Throngs of people kept walking up the trail past him and the EMTs that were working on him. When we got to the arch, watching the sunset, you could hear and see the life flight helo taking him away....he didn't quite make it to the arch. Now that's a picture to remember....

I hiked to Delicate Arch in mid-July. I thought I was having a heart attack.

[Alan McConnell]

Has anyone else observed this? While driving up 128 from Moab, we've witnessed an optical illusion with the flow of the river. Due to the rock formations and the road it can appear that the river is flowing up hill. No, I wasn't on drugs.

[Vaughn]

It isn't an optical illusion -- it just looks like one.