Terra Galleria Photography

Posts Tagged ‘utah’

Fairyland: Bryce Canyon’s Overlooked View and Trail

Easily missed, but aptly named Fairyland Point offers quiet, a great view, and the trailhead for one of the best hikes under the rim of Bryce Canyon National Park. On the way to the renown viewpoints over the Bryce Amphitheater such as Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, and Inspiration Point, most visitors miss a turnoff in […]

Back to Pine Creek Canyon, Zion National Park

Because slot canyons have no vegetation and are mostly in the shade all the time, one might think that their appearance doesn’t change much. But in fact, the interplay of light with the walls varies much faster than in more open scenery, so much that visual surprises abound and reward multiple visits. Follow me on […]

Zion National Park’s High: Observation Point

Zion National Park doesn’t have the equivalent of Yosemite’s Glacier Point. Because of the sheer walls surrounding Zion Canyon, there are only two trails leading from the valley floor to the rim. Although lesser known than Angels Landing, the Observation Point Trail is the higher of the two. Angels Landing Trail is is famous for […]

Zion National Park’s Orderville Canyon: The Narrows Adventurous Sister

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 […]

The Whole Enchilada: Zion National Park’s Subway from the top

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 […]

Five ways to photograph the Zion Narrows (and other places) without people

The Zion Narrows are amongst the most unique hikes in America. For details, refer to my post: National Parks Photo Spot #10: Zion Narrows (whole series here). The downside of accessibility and awesomeness is popularity. Compared to the canyons mentioned in the previous posts, the Zion Narrows can feel downright crowded. For photography, this is […]

Hidden and Echo Canyons: a pair of easily explored canyons in Zion National Park

In the heart of Zion, Hidden and Echo canyons give you a good taste of the varied off-trail adventures to be had in Zion’s backcountry, as you explore a lush hanging canyon and a narrow slot, easy enough for hiking, but wild enough to feel out of the beaten path. Unlike the previously described canyons, […]

A non-technical slot in Zion: Keyhole Canyon

If the previous posts have awakened your interest for Zion’s slot canyons, but you don’t want to engage in technical canyoneering, read on. Keyhole Canyon, which I describe in detail, may be the best opportunity for adventurous hikers to explore a beautiful small Zion slot without swims or rappels. Dominated by slickrock, Zion Plateau, the […]

The bowels of the earth: Zion’s Pine Creek Canyon

Each of Zion’s canyons have an individual character. While Mystery Canyon was long, diverse, lush, and open, Pine Creek offered a hauntingly beautiful subterranean experience in a surprisingly cold slot canyon, with an incredibly lucky find. In Zion National Park, the soft sandstone rock has been eroded by flash floods into narrow crevices which can […]

Zion’s Mystery Canyon

Zion is a land of deeply cut and narrow canyons. With a few exceptions, their beauty cannot be seen by hiking. On my last trip to Zion, by descending some of the “technical” canyons that require the use of ropes and harnesses, I sought to experience parts of the park seen only by few visitors, […]