Not to miss destinations on your short trip to Utah

Traveling during the pandemic has presented challenges like no other time in history. I had originally written this post mid-Covid and I feel that I didn’t give the beautiful state of Utah much justice. Who can blame me though, it was a stressful time in our history and most people were not able to focus on much else except survival 🙂 Today, as I review some of my older blog posts and update them for relevance, I decided to rewrite this one in particular and provide as much insight regarding photography in Utah as possible.

To start with, Utah is a very large state and with a tremendous number of attractions and places to photograph. I feel I barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer. In this post, I will speak especially to those who can only allot a short time to visit the state and point out some of the practically guarantee places to make great photographs. Join me.

The first stop on our itinerary was Zion National Park. Unfortunately, while one of the most beautiful and unique places in Utah, it is also most heavily trafficked and popular with tourists. In November, the trees were blazing yellow and the weather extremely pleasant for hiking and exploration. As usual, I took a great deal of time for wandering and aimless exploration. This usually helps me find places that are more deserted and thus less likely photographed by others. The paths less traveled almost always equal better photographic opportunities.

Next, we headed towards Monument Valley, a destination I have always wanted to visit and since commencing The Red Dress Project, I had envisioned it as part of the photographic travel series. Because visiting Monument Valley was one of the top priorities of our trip, I made sure to photograph it at dusk AND dawn, even though getting up at 4AM on a cold November morning was no easy feat 🙂 Nonetheless, I highly recommend it. The dawn and dusk light imparted very different atmospheres to the scene and I still can’t decide which one I like better. Of note, the travel distances in Monument Valley were very limited due to Covid restrictions at the time and we were not actually allowed to enter into the area as is usually possible. We had to limit out exploration to the main road and while the views were still stunning, I would love to revisit for a chance of deeper exploration.

On the way to the very last stop on our itinerary, we swung by Coral Pink Sand Dunes, a desert like area in the south west region of Utah that seems as if it should not belong there. Unfortunately due to time constraints, we couldn’t stay for long to watch the sunset, which would have been my personal choice. There’s nothing better that long shadows cast by the setting sun giving multiple dimensions to tiny grains of sand coming together in the form of giant dunes. Nonetheless, if you enjoy the vastness of deserts, make sure to stop by this place. Just remember to protect your gear and eyes from the harsh environment and sand which has a tendency to creep in everywhere.