US National Parks - Does anyone have any tips?

[Matt..]

I am visiting the US in a week or so for a 3 week roadtrip. I will be going to these locations:

- Yellowstone (x3)
- Grand Teton (x1)
- SLC (x1)
- Bryce Canyon (x2)
- Zion (x2)
- Death Valley (x2)
- Mammoth Lakes (x1)
- Yosemite (x3)
- San Francisco (x2)
- Carmel (x1)
- SLO (x1)
- Santa Barbara (x1)


Can anyone give me any tips as to interesting photo locations? (i dont care if they're the most common shots!).


Thanks

[JJM]

In Yosemite head up to Glacier Point for sunset, you'll get a great view of Half Dome.




Sounds like you're going to have an amazing trip, what car have you hired?

Edited by JJM on Thursday 25th August 19:52

[Colin RedGriff]

Avoid Yosemite village at the weekend unless you are going to get there early

Toga Pass is a really nice route to and goes right past Mono Lake as well as some spectacular views and plenty of places to pull over.

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

Can't help with all of it, but in Yellowstone try to get to the Mammoth Hot Springs and the Grand Prismatic Spring, although the most spectacular shots of that one are from the air.

The Tetons are great too - the look like proper mountains should look.

[Matt..]

S. Gonzales Esq. said:

Can't help with all of it, but in Yellowstone try to get to the Mammoth Hot Springs and the Grand Prismatic Spring, although the most spectacular shots of that one are from the air.

A lot of people seem to walk the first ~0.5mile of the Fairy Falls walk and walk up a small hill to get the overview shot of the Grand Prismatic Spring. I will try that

I am somewhat concerned i am taking too much kit though! Am i?

- 5dmk2
- 40D
- 17-40L
- 85 1.8
- 100-400L
- Travel tripod
- Remote release
- Laptop
- Filters
- etc...

[Simpo Two]

Beano did this a while back and had much the same questions; hopefully he will pop up and put 4p in the slot.

[Dudd]

Bears are dangerous

[Matt..]

Dudd said:

Bears are dangerous

I'm more worried about the rattle snakes!

[ChiChoAndy]

Dudd said:

Bears are dangerous

They are only interested in your picnic baskets. I saw it in a documentary once on kids Tv.

[Dudd]

ChiChoAndy said:

Dudd said:

Bears are dangerous

They are only interested in your picnic baskets. I saw it in a documentary once on kids Tv.

True, so make sure you leave out the beer, bears are angry drunks.

[Big E 118]

Stop-off on route 41 into Yosemite



Top of Telegraph Hill, SF. Great view of the GG (when it's not behind cloud!)



To be honest there are just spectacular photos wherever you go in the National Parks, you won't short of locations!

[K12beano]

Simpo Two said:

Beano did this a while back and had much the same questions; hopefully he will pop up and put 4p in the slot.

Ah - I see I am late!

Yes - Autumn 2007 included: Death Valley, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Monument Valley, Kodachrome Basin, Grand Staircase, Grand Canyon (south rim), Joshua Tree. Plus some time near Phoenix, San Diego and San Francisco, Monterey and 17 Mile Drive - I took 42 days to do.

I take it you have your National Parks card all organised? Then you can just keep driving in and out - just pick up the local information from the nice rangers - oh and stop and have a chat with them if you can.

First point is to decide whether you're going for the road trip or for the photography. Don't let one take over the other if you haven't too much time!!! I assume you'll be driving in the day - which is good. You will be mostly photographing at the ends of the days: get up EARLY!

For Yosemite - try and do the (free) photography walk to get some insight into Ansel Adams photography (I think it was on twice a week when I was there). But you soon learn Adams was right - don't bother trying to take great shots after 10 o'clock in the morning!! Landscapes take way to snapshots in no time! But there's still details to find. And, not necessarily renowned in the same way as New England, but the fall in places like Yosemite can be spectacular.

As Colin points out, some places like Yosemite aren't so much fun at the weekends - planning for mid-week would be good!



In other places, late afternoon in Monument Valley is quite good - for more scenery pay for a guided tour by the natives, and ALWAYS respect that it's their property!

Are you prepared to walk - Bryce especially, has some wonderful views and you could spend days just up and down some of the trails, or just drive along the top!

Death Valley - get some local knowledge and time a visit to "Artists' Palette" carefully (blink and you'll miss it!)

I am jealous that you're going to Jellystone too - can you fit in Arches? Also great I am told/can see from the typical photos you can find

Other tips - best tripod you can carry, polariser. And, as noted don't mess with the locals - wildlife or natives!


Have a great time - you might keep a trip journal on line. Handy for remembering the point where all the red rocks start to merge in the mind. Let's see the results.

[sgrimshaw]

Watch out for Yogi and BooBoo in Yellowstone.

They'll have your Pic-in-ik basket away as soon as look at you.

[baz7175]

Yellowstone rangers are currently trying to acquire the bear which attacked and killed a hiker last week, 2nd person this year to be killed there by a bear (earlier one was found to be a female protecting her cubs and so wasn't hunted down)...

[Matt..]

K12beano said:

...

I will get a pass when i enter Yellowstone.

My route is set, and it's not changing! Because of the short time i have, i'm well aware i will probably miss some things due to weather. I do also have a history of having no luck whatsoever with weather on holidays, so it's not surprising to me to see the weather for next week in Yellowstone! For the days i'm there it's 'possible thunderstorms' :/ apparently they're nothing to worry about in Yellowstone though, but we shall see.

Annoyingly i am hitting Yosemite on a weekend, but it couldn't really be helped I arrive midday on Saturday and leave on Tuesday morning.

I have bought the Frommers guide to National Parks, which seems really useful, and have a Lonely Planet one for Yosemite. I have ideas of what to see in each place, but will have lots of free time in the evenings to do more planning whilst i'm there.

I fully expect to shift my day somewhat, and do early mornings. Sunset/sunrise seems to be approx 7am/8pm when i'm there, so those are my hours to work to! I might try some startrails somewhere if i can work out how though.

I will definitely be doing some short walks. Nothing too long, as it will destroy my feet if i do miles and miles every day for 3 weeks

If anyone has any suggestions on trails/photo points in any of the places listed in my first post, then i would greatly appreciate the input. I have no problem with taking photos that have been taken many times before either!

[K12beano]

Don't fret about the weather. Stormy will give you some great shots.

Grand Canyon: there's loads of obvious spots - all completely touristy where you just fight for position. Just be aware where sun's going to be. Watch out for train arrival / departure too.

Bryce: Up early and get to rim from hotel/lodge. Pick your spot.

Zion: presuming you're there before the bus service finishes, just get all the way to the top to recce the place. Everyone gathers at the river bridge down on the main road for sunsets (look for where road crosses river near T-junction on map)

Death: sooo many choices! Artists'Palette. Zabriskie Point at dawn - spectacular (think 2001 Space Odyssey music: So Spake Zarathusa.....)
Get off the road and visit the dunes - but BEWARE don't get lost or wander off without water.

SF ride cable cars..... ride more cable cars.....

Not sure if the seals have returned to Pier 39 but forget that and just get into the streets. When short on time do the little 3-wheel self guided tour and get yourself under GG Bridge, or take the boat tour under and past Alcatraz for a quick and dirty everything. Oh and get on the cable cars. In DAYTIME ONLY pop over to Height Ashbury,,, not guaranteed high on the safety list. Also: if your Hotel/Motel offers to tell you where's safe, remember you have an I AM A TOURIST LABEL hanging round your neck. Take Care out there!

Monterey: just get yourself into the aquarium! Take 17 mile drive as early in the morning as you can manage (take coffee and pastry from a Monterey Bakery (can't remember name!))

[Famous Graham]

There's some nice views of GG and the bay from over the other side in Marin too.

[Janesy B]

As above, Glacier Point however I found the Hetch Hetchy Valley to be a nice quiet place to visit with some great views.

[baz7175]

K12beano said:

Monterey: just get yourself into the aquarium! Take 17 mile drive as early in the morning as you can manage (take coffee and pastry from a Monterey Bakery (can't remember name!))

If you hit Monterey early in the morning, continue on down route 1 to Big Sur, then head a few miles further watching for semi-well hidden restaurant on the right side of the road, call "Napinthe". You can sit outside on a patio area which gives amazing views down over the Pacific, and if you're lucky may even get some seated whale spotting in at the same time...

Napinthe used to be my Sunday lunch/dinner spot when I lived in Sunnyvale back in 2002...

[Matt..]

I am going tomorrow morning, so not long now!

Yellowstone is first, so we will see how well i do there! Hopefully i'll get an internet connection so i can post up results as i go.