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Author Topic: Zion + ? in Early Nov  (Read 6709 times)

Patrick Cox

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Zion + ? in Early Nov
« on: September 06, 2013, 02:17:03 pm »

I have the first week of Nov off and am planning a trip to Zion.  I have been to Zion before but it was summer and I am sure that autumn will present many new photographic opportunities.  The question I have is - should I add a day or two at another park.  I have never been to Bryce or to the Page area (Antelope/Horseshoe Bend) and am considering these.  I will fly into Vegas on Sunday and fly out on Friday.  So I will have 4 full shooting days plus maybe another half day or two depending on travel time.  Thanks for your suggestions!

Pat
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Les Sparks

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2013, 06:45:59 pm »

You've a host of choices. Bryce, Capital Reef, Cedar Breaks, Grand Escalante Staircase National Monument just to name a few. Biggest problem is distance between places and finding time to explore each of them--and that you only have one sunrise and one sunset each day and the formations in all these parks are spectacular with the right light.
I've a little information on all these places on my website.
Have fun and enjoy your trip.
Les
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sierraman

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2013, 11:14:18 pm »

I have the first week of Nov off and am planning a trip to Zion.  I have been to Zion before but it was summer and I am sure that autumn will present many new photographic opportunities.  The question I have is - should I add a day or two at another park.  I have never been to Bryce or to the Page area (Antelope/Horseshoe Bend) and am considering these.  I will fly into Vegas on Sunday and fly out on Friday.  So I will have 4 full shooting days plus maybe another half day or two depending on travel time.  Thanks for your suggestions!

Pat

The first week of November is a good time to visit Zion as the fall colors should be near or at peak. You should be able to spend at least one full day (maybe two if you decide to hike the narrows) at Zion. From there you can go out the east side of the park. Going south you could visit the Grand Canyon north rim for more fall colors ( maybe closed by then?), or go north to Bryce Canyon. Bryce is nice to photograph but doesn't require much more then one day. Antelope won't have it's best lighting as the sun will be at a lower position in the sky. I just got back from Horseshoe Bend and you will only need a couple of hours there at sunrise/sunset. Lots of other areas (Capital Reef, Cedar Breaks, Grand Escalante Staircase National Monument) possible as previous poster stated. Monument Valley could also be reached during your trip. Good luck.  :)
« Last Edit: September 06, 2013, 11:54:20 pm by sierraman »
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PhotoEcosse

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2013, 05:00:03 am »

One day is enough for Zion so long as you can be there from sunrise until sunset (easier in November than in summer). My second choice would be Bryce Canyon and, again, one full day is sufficient. My favourite "small" park within easy reach is Kodachrome. And, of course, you can get north to Grand Teton in a day and Jackson in late autumn is quite cheap for accommodation. Last time I did that trip I drove from Vegas and spent two nights in Cedar City and then two nights in Jackson followed by one in West Yellowstone.

Take plenty SD/CF cards!!
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Schewe

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2013, 01:01:41 pm »

One day is enough for Zion so long as you can be there from sunrise until sunset (easier in November than in summer).

Actually, I would disagree....I think a minimum for Zion would be a late afternoon/sunset, followed by 1 full day and then a sunrise drive out of the East entrance. There is plenty to shoot at Zion between 10AM-3PM (in Nov) because of the way the sun will fall into the canyons giving nice edge light. Getting there the afternoon before will give you the chance to do two sunsets and 2 sun rises...helps with the odds of having nice light.

If you did this, you could do the same deal with Bryce...after Red Rock Canyon, pull into Bryce in the afternoon, do a sunset, then have a full day at Bryce followed by another sunrise. So, 2 nites in Zion, 2 nights in Bryce. US 12 through Escalante and Capitol Reef and into Moab would be a nice round off to the trip. There's a great road out of Moab to the East, I think it's RT 128.

I've done this by both motorcycle and car many times–yet it never gets old.

If, on the other hand you want to hit Zion & Page (with the slot canyons) getting past Bryce would be a problem. There you would do the 2 nites each in Zion & Bryce then hurry back down to Page.
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Patrick Cox

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2013, 05:08:17 pm »

Thanks for the suggestions.  How does this look for an itinerary?  Or am I trying to cram too much into one trip and maybe cut out either Bryce or Page?  Thanks!

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Schewe

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2013, 07:45:44 pm »

Thanks for the suggestions.  How does this look for an itinerary?  Or am I trying to cram too much into one trip and maybe cut out either Bryce or Page?

Well...the problem with driving in the Southwest is stuff is pretty far apart and the roads aren't fast (like Interstates). You are gonna be doing some zigzagging in your itinerary...I think Zion & Bryce are worth it...and so are the slot canyons East of Page but...you'll be pushing the travel times and depending on how often you stop to shoot stuff along the way, you may be hard pressed to do it all.

Bryce and Zion are well worth the efforts...the time you'll be spending going all the way to Page and doing the slot canyons (which you want to do at about high noon) may not be as big a payoff as you might expect...really tough to tell you what to do.

If you want to stay at the Zion and Bryce lodges (which are pretty nice) availability may be an issue...off park places to stay are plenty available...you'll be in Zion late enough that you can drive the entire route without having to get on the shuttles...so there's that in your favor. Hope this helps...
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HSakols

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2013, 11:58:03 pm »

Give yourself some time.  I find when I first arrive someplace new, I'm so stimulated that everything looks just great.  However, after some time (a day, a year) I start seeing it as it is and I'm able to compose with more purpose.  Slow down and enjoy the fall.  I think you will get more keepers than just driving through.   
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PhotoEcosse

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2013, 05:53:29 am »

.....and, when you are in that area, don't develop "park-blindness". There are countless great photographs to be taken outside the designated parks.

I just did a very quick Lightroom scan of the "keepers" from my last trip - I spent 5 weeks driving from LA - Joshua Tree NP - Grand Canyon - Zion - Bryce - Grand Teton - Yellowstone - Twin falls - Yosemite - San Francisco - and I would assess that around half of the images I have kept from that trip were taken outside the actual boundaries of the parks I visited.
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Patrick Cox

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2013, 05:38:41 pm »

Give yourself some time.  I find when I first arrive someplace new, I'm so stimulated that everything looks just great.  However, after some time (a day, a year) I start seeing it as it is and I'm able to compose with more purpose.  Slow down and enjoy the fall.  I think you will get more keepers than just driving through.   

Thanks, yes, this is the conclusion I came to as well.  I am going to stick with one overnight in Bryce and then the rest of my time in Zion.  There is lots to see and shoot there.  I will dedicate another trip to the Page area because there is so much there to see and shoot as well.

Thanks all for the great suggestions!

Pat
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bretedge

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2013, 08:51:06 am »

We were there during the first week of November last year and the maples were done, but the cottonwoods were at peak.  If I were you, I'd spend the entire time at Zion and I wouldn't worry about visiting other parks.  It's very easy to spend a week in Zion and not get bored.  There's so much to photograph and many wonderful hikes to enjoy.  That isn't to say that the other parks aren't fabulous, because they are, but why run from one park to the next when you could be concentrating that travel time and energy on making great photographs?

Patrick Cox

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #11 on: September 10, 2013, 08:55:14 pm »

Thanks again all for the suggestions.  I have decided to stick with two parks.  Zion and Bryce.  I have 4 sunrises and 4 sunsets to work with.  Should I split them 2 and 2 or 1 for Bryce and 3 for Zion?

Thanks!
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mhecker*

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2013, 09:44:55 pm »

Hi Patrick,

My Zion & Bryce Photoguide just may be of interest to you.



Take a look here http://wyofoto.com/Photo_maps/Zion_NP/Deluxe_Zion_Photoguide_PDF.html

Miles
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Patrick Cox

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2013, 07:12:40 am »

Hi Patrick,

My Zion & Bryce Photoguide just may be of interest to you.



Take a look here http://wyofoto.com/Photo_maps/Zion_NP/Deluxe_Zion_Photoguide_PDF.html

Miles


Yes, thanks.  I bought one earlier in the week.  I can't get it to work on my iPad PDF viewer though.  Any tips on that?  Thanks!
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mhecker*

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Re: Zion + ? in Early Nov
« Reply #14 on: September 11, 2013, 12:56:24 pm »

Yes, email the PDF to yourself and pop the email with your Ipad.

Or use dropbox to share content across all your computer devices.  It's free!!!

See https://www.dropbox.com/

Another easy way, if you saved the download link is to just download it again to your Ipad.
You will have to send the link to your Ipad, once again an email to yourself will work.

If this doesn't work, I can email you a second copy.
If you read the email from your Ipad, it will magically be on it.

Don't you just wish Apple would unlock the Ipad, so we wouldn't to to do all this silly stuff!   ???
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