Posted on June 29, 2016, 6:47 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Most hikers into the famous Virgin River Narrows of Zion National Park turn around at the junction with Orderville Canyon, sometimes after taking a quick peak inside. Zion National Park’s most accessible canyon after the Narrows, Orderville is spectacular and distinctive, making it a worthwhile destination in itself for the adventurous hiker. Exploring the entirety […]
Posted on June 23, 2016, 7:45 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The Subway is a superlative backcountry area in Zion National Park which has become world-famous. The common way to visit the formation is via a hike from the bottom of the canyon. However, this approach misses some of the most beautiful sections of the canyon. In this post, I’ll take you through the entire length […]
Posted on June 3, 2016, 8:20 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The rare combination of wildness and accessibility makes the national parks a great place to experience a connection with the natural world and its vastness. At night, although darkness obscures land features, the night sky gives us an even clearer sense of the immensity of the universe. Recently, the National Park Service, under the motto […]
Posted on May 27, 2016, 11:18 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Wondering where to start in our 59th national park? The most spectacular views in Pinnacles National Park are on the High Peaks Trail which is fairly strenuous. However, the best introduction to the park is along a loop which is quite easy (1.5-mile loop; 250-foot elevation gain) despite the great diversity of terrain encountered. A […]
Posted on January 28, 2016, 1:27 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The most visited spot in Joshua Tree National Park lies somewhere near the meeting of Park Boulevard, the Hidden Valley picnic area, and the Barker Dam road. When I parked my car a hundred yard east of the intersection, nobody was around, because the time was one hour before sunrise. I walked in the dark […]
Posted on January 20, 2016, 12:35 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Although it is the first trail encountered after the Kings Canyon National Park entrance, most visitors skip the Big Stump Trail. However, it is an area quite different from the rest of the park, reserving discoveries. Photographically, the dead trees challenged me to find evocative images of what at first may not appear to be […]
Posted on January 13, 2016, 2:19 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
In my quest to photograph fall foliage in each of the National Parks, I revisited Sequoia National Park at the end of October. Dominated by conifer forests, Sequoia is certainly not a place one thinks about for fall foliage, yet I found beautiful color accents in the fall, which I report in this post. Foothill […]
Posted on December 16, 2015, 7:41 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Of the five islands that make up Channel Islands National Park, one has eluded me for a while. The smallest of the Channel Islands, Santa Barbara is only one square mile in size. However, I couldn’t be pleased with my explorations of the park until I visited each of its five islands. This fall, I […]
Posted on December 2, 2015, 11:55 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Glacier National Park is renowned for its wildness, and the wildest part of Glacier is the North Fork. The most isolated section of the park that can be reached by vehicle, the region offers the adventurous photographer a chance to enjoy an experience away from the crowds. The NPS management plan for Glacier National Park […]
Posted on November 25, 2015, 1:11 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
In my quest to photograph fall foliage in each of the National Parks, I traveled to Glacier National Park this autumn. In this post, I report on the superb and relatively unknown color I found in the park, breaking it down region by region. Unlike the mountains of the east coast, or even the Rocky […]
