National Parks/Photography Near Las Vegas

**Hollis** · 28-Jan-2008, 01:50

Pyramid Lake and the Virgin Valley for some remote shooting.

**trink408** · 28-Jan-2008, 06:08

Death Valley is an amazing place, easily the best "park" trip I've ever gone on. I spent 7 days tenting, hiking, and shooting just inside the park boundaries and still didn't see half of it. My friend and I had a rental SUV to get us back on some of the remote 4-wheel trails in the park, no way a car would have gotten through some of those areas.
The detailed pdf map from the park website was very helpful in helping us find remote roads and areas to camp.

Take your time and have fun!!!

**Terry Hull** · 18-Mar-2008, 17:46

I completed my 10 day photo trip, and want to thank you folks for the input. Death Valley is simply amazing, and certainly could have spent the entire ten days in that spot. I stayed one day too long in Joshua Tree, but liked the drive through the Mohave Desert. I liked some of the smaller, mostly deserted towns such as Keeler, Darwin, Goldpoint, etc. I also though Red Rock Canyon outside of LV was unexpectedly beautiful.

Thanks again!

**John Berry** · 20-Mar-2008, 02:31

Originally Posted by Preston

Make sure your rental car has tire chains, since they may be required on national park roads at any time.

That's a for sure. When I went to yosemite, There was a little snow on the ground, coming in from the west. They wouldn't let two wheel drive in without chains or cables. The gas station was doing a bang up business selling to people with rental cars. I have four wheel drive but still had to have chains with a trailer behind me.
Hear is a story. I turned around and went to the nearest campground just outside the gate (thousand trails I think) they had some spaces for non members. Went back and bought the overpriced chains. They were good quality truck chains and $130.00. normally they sell for $100.00. Car cables were $40.00 at that time (about 2000 I think). Went into the valley and did some shooting. Came back out at the end of the day and there was a ranger in the road with three cars stopped. I pulled up and he ask me if I had 4x4 and I said "yup", he said I could go on. The others had the choice to sit in the car or go to the park hotel. That night I was pissed off that the security guard for the campground drove that damn jeep by every hour. "I'll take care of this crap tomorrow". Next day I drove to the campground to get a spot in the park. As I drove into the lot, I saw a ranger with two people and their cars, with the broken out windows, making out reports. I drove right on by and went and payed for another night of security guard.

**trink408** · 24-Mar-2008, 10:16

Originally Posted by Terry Hull

I completed my 10 day photo trip, and want to thank you folks for the input. Death Valley is simply amazing, and certainly could have spent the entire ten days in that spot. I stayed one day too long in Joshua Tree, but liked the drive through the Mohave Desert. I liked some of the smaller, mostly deserted towns such as Keeler, Darwin, Goldpoint, etc. I also though Red Rock Canyon outside of LV was unexpectedly beautiful.

Thanks again!

Great to hear, sounds like you had a wonderful trip. I definitely agree on Death Valley, one of the neatest places I have ever been, 10 days would be well spent there.

Did you get some nice days of shooting?