SORRY! I didn't check the map and did not realize Bryce is a billion miles away. Of course I meant to say basically stay within the same spot or within 30-40 miles.
Thanks for some good suggestions. I will be with my wife and I expect to spend time between sunrise and sunset eating lunch and chewing the scenery.
The landscape in Arches (other than the slickrock) is extremely fragile cryptobiotic soil. So please do not just wander off trail destroying the landscape (sorry, Heroique). Check with the rangers if you want to find uncrowded places.Originally Posted by Heroique
No worry, we are mild mannered tree hugging liberals and will STAY ON THE TRAILS, ha ha. No Globlin rock pushing for us.
Leave Moab for Mesa Arch 30 minutes before sunrise. Get to the trailhead 15 min after sunrise, and to the arch 30 minutes after sunrise. The glow under the arch will still be good, and the crowd will be gone or leaving. Spend 30 to 40 minutes there, then drive to Dead Horse Point State Park and follow the road to the end (30 min drive, on the way back to town).
Go meet your wife for brunch at the Jailhouse.
In Arches, Double Arch is good around late morning to midday, Balanced Rock is good late afternoon with the La Sal mountains in the background. If you drive up the hill to the picnic area opposite the Balanced Rock parking lot, you can get a good panorama with the rock, petrified dunes, and mountains.
Easy hikes are around Balanced Rock, and to Double Arch and back. The road to Balanced Rock takes you by some wonderful hoodoos and cliff walls. More wonderful stuff off the road to the Windows area where Double Arch is located.
While in Moab you might check out the Tom Till Gallery, he is an excellant landscape photographer. I did a workshop with him in the Great Smokies several years ago and learned a lot.
I'd consider just poking around the San Rafael Swell instead. Do a bit of poking around on the web. It has lots of great stuff, far fewer people, and is closer to SLC.
OK, I did a little research, so I can be more specific. Drive down planning to be at the Wedge overlook at around dawn. After that, drive down Buckhorn Wash, which runs roughly north-south. The east side should be shady in the morning, but with nice reflected light coming from the lit up west walls. Make your way down to Little Wild Horse canyon by lunchtime or early afternoon. Those things alone should provide many photographic opportunities. You might see things you want to revisit in late afternoon or evening.
Do your own research, but I recall all of the driving to be on good gravel roads. There is a lot of info on the web about those places. Check out the images for the Wedge overlook.
Hell if I were going to Moab and wanted a memorable experience, I'd go and actually *see* Tom Till...not just the gallery. One of the most memorable portfolio reviews I've ever had were the few hours he spent looking through a box of loose prints when I cold called him several years ago. A very generous man with his time, if he's in town.
There's no way to have the perfect photographic experience *anywhere* in that short of time. Just pick a road, get a map, fill your drink cup, get some jerky and just go for a drive. Quit worrying about having the best experience you can have and just go have the one the road leads you to.
Yes, I applaud efforts to avoid walking on living soil crusts – but don't let that stop anyone from parking at any stop, and walking into the desert landscape (with care). That is, "getting lost" for a half-day or a full day ... away from the crowds.
You're allowed to do this.
Better, you can also select a place to pitch a tent and stay the night with a free permit.
Last edited by Heroique; 12-Mar-2015 at 22:49. Reason: Added suggestion about overnight stay!
AGain, thanks for all the great suggestions, just a note that I am not looking for the "Perfect Experience," just some suggestions, which some of you have shared and I will figure out what to do. Thanks.
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