Bryce Canyon Day 1
“The earth has music for those who listen.” William Shakespeare
In the past few years, we have traveled throughout Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Europe, Argentina, Southeast Asia and Africa. As such, we thought it was about time for us to explore some of our own backyard. We began with a visit to the home of good friends in Traverse City Michigan. Because we’d been there many times before, I decided to leave the camera in its bag and simply enjoy our stay. The weather was perfect as was the company of our friends and our many adventures. But soon it was time to say goodbye, and we were off to Utah.
I must admit I was a bit worried when the Las Vegas thermometer showed 114 degrees as we landed but after a VERY long drive into the mountains of Utah, our fears both of wildfires and climate evaporated quickly. We arrived very late at night so we began our first day at Bryce Canyon in the late morning on Thursday under clear skies and 70 degree weather.
Before you reach Bryce, you drive through the Red Canyon area of Dixie National Forest. It’s a small preview of what’s to come but it’s quite beautiful. And we were treated to our first natural bridge, one of many stone arches found in the area.
We decided that Day 1 would be all about getting the lay of the land, so we drove to each of the viewpoints in Bryce, as recommended by most everyone. I thought that since it was late morning and we were not hiking, there would be few opportunities for photography, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Here are some of my favorites.
The light became a bit harsh by late afternoon so we returned home for a break, then headed back to catch some evening light as well as, hopefully, a beautiful sunset. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Storm clouds moved in as early twilight began, which gave me some wonderful stormy-sky opportunities.
We decided to cut our losses (a good thing, as it turned out), and head out before the storm hit. One last stop at the appropriately-named Fairyland vista, and we called it a day.
All in all, it was an exhausting, exhilarating, amazing day. Bryce is everything it promised and then some. And my new Nikkor 10-24mm lens performed beautifully. Tomorrow, we hike down into the canyon – woo hoo! Adventure awaits 🙂
Note: All photos taken with Nikon D/300s – which survived it’s fall from my tripod quite nicely – with tripod and circular polarizer
- Red Canyon, Dixie National Forest: Nikkor 10-24mm @24mm, ISO 200, f/18, 1/40
- Sandstone Arch, Red Canyon: Nikkor 10-24mm @24mm, ISO 100, f/11, 1/100
- Lone Tree, Bryce Canyon: Nikkor 10-24mm @24mm, ISO 200, f/18, 1/40
- Bryce Canyon Aglow: Nikkor 10-24mm @24 mm, ISO 200, f/18, 1/30
- Hoodoos, Bryce Canyon: Nikkor 10-24mm @24mm, ISO 200, f/18, 1/40
- Balancing Act, Bryce Canyon: Nikkor 70-200mm @125mm, ISO 200, f/16, 1/100
- Stormy Skies, Bryce Canyon: Nikkor 10-24mm @24mm, ISO 400, f/11, 1/50
- Gathering Clouds, Bryce Canyon: Nikkor 10-24mm @24mm, ISO 400, f/11, 1/40
- Fairyland Hoodoos, Bryce Canyon: Nikkor 70-200 @95mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/3
Your captions are perfect! The arch is amazing…. I am picturing you & Bailey in a convertible motoring at 80 mph on hairpin turns as you are snapping away! lol
Oh my!! I just noticed this is 2012…. I am in a timewarp in your website haha.
Wow, lovely photos 🙂 Thanks for pointing this post out to me
I think I am very lucky to have a home in Utah with our 5 National parks! I enjoyed looking at your photos even though they made me homesick for the West. I have been to Bryce many times, twice on bike tour. Beautiful country for biking, hiking and photography. We had a snow storm last visit and the hoodoos looked amazing with white caps on them.
Cheers, Pippa
I would have LOVED to see the hoodoos in the snow. What an amazing part of our beautiful country–we had such a ball. A photographer’s dream 🙂
Bringing it all back !
Pottering some more round your blog Tina 😉
I am sitting at the eye doctor with big drops in my eyes – thanks for the beautiful relief this morning – what a great diversion! Awesome! Linda
LOL, thNks Linda! Hope the eyes are OK!
How nice! Thanks PT! Hope alls well at your end!
How beautiful !!! Your eye for the best of views is amazing.
Thanks Pam! Hope the elbow’s better.
I am so glad I was up early to travel thru Brice Canyon. What a beautiful journey. Thanks for the lift!
My pleasure, for sure!
Awesome photos! It’s great having an advance scout before our own trip. So glad fires abated for you.
Drove past Zion Mt Lodge – looks great! Located before the entry to Zion almost an hour south of us. You’re going to love it here 🙂
Your shots are beautiful! Bryce Canyon is an amazing place! I just got my Nikon 70-200 lens out of the box. Do you use a teleconverter with it very often? ML
Congrats on the new lens ML, it’s a fabulous choice. I rarely use the TC as I don’t usually need it and the photos are a hair less perfect since it’s another layer of glass. Also using a D/300 plus 70-200 (on which I keep my tripod attachment) plus the TC makes it a VERY heavy rig! That said, I do use it occasionally and am glad to have it.
We often forget to explore our own backyard..quite majestic..thank you for reminding us of our nation’s vast beauty
Agree whole-heartedly Kate, thanks for following!
Such a beautiful place and you certainly captured the grandness of it all. K
Thanks Kath, hope your travels are going well!
great shots…..so dramatic and mysterious….
Thanks April!
Hi Tiner,
Your new lens is taking some of the best pictures I’ve ever seen of Bryce Canyon. The pictures actually capture how truly striking the scenery is!
Safe travels – JTR
Thanks Jack – you’re the best! Hope Asheville has cooled back down.
Wow! Great start of your travels. Beautiful landscapes. Have fun!
Thanks Jane 🙂 After 2 days I’ve decided all of the fabulous wide shots of the hoodoos must be stitched together in photoshop. No way you can get the vastness of the vistas with a single shot. Its an incredible place.