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Walk with me under the Bryce Canyon full moon hoodoos

I hadn’t photographed the full moon since May, too many clouds in June, July looked good so I started to make a plan to shoot Bryce Canyon full moon hoodoos, and it worked.  I took lots of photos.  Hope you’re ready.

windows mask hoodoos Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI’m still learning to use the Photo Pills app ahead of time for some idea of time, degrees, and direction of rise (or set) from different locations.  Plus considering which trail to get down into the hoodoos without too much distance and drop.

Hoodoos last light Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI started down the Navajo Loop Trail about 7:15 for the 8:10 moonrise and maybe the 8:50 sunset.

looking up Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahLooking up from four switchbacks down

Couldn’t believe how many people clustered along the rim and top of the trailhead at the mostly eastern “Sunset Point” view.

hoodoos Wall Street Bryce Canyon National Park UtahWallstreet, the other side of the Navajo Loop Trail

A few folks passed me still huffing up the trail, many carrying no water.  They may have done the 1.3 mile loop, 357 feet up in .7miles.  Not for me tonight.

Thors Hammer hoodoos late light Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI kept checking Photo Pills against the real time landscape.

windows Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

view through Hoodoo windows Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAt first I was sure I’d get the moon rise through one of the windows in a formation I call the mask.  But alas, the app was out of calibration.

Hoodoos full moon rise last light Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahYet I knew it was close and went for a backup plan.  Wherever the moon would rise I’d surely find a good hoodoo foreground.

late light hoodoos Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahHad to keep moving up and down the trail because the gnats/noseeums were driving me crazy, and ultimately ate me alive leaving terrible welts that got hard bumps and blisters.  Brutal.  A reaction I’d never experienced before, and hope not to again.

Hoodoos full moon rise last light Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Hoodoos full moon rise last light Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Hoodoos full moon rise last light Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Hoodoos full moon rise last light Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahHoodoos full moon rise last light Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Hoodoos full moon rise sunset Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahWith a bit of haze on the horizon I didn’t get the actual moon rise but I did get some fun shots of the full moon with the magical shapes of hoodoos.  I saw a person reading a book and someone else said a knight holding a staff or sword.  What do you see?

Hoodoos full moon rise sunset Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Hoodoos full moon rise sunset Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Hoodoos full moon rise sunset Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahHoodoo is a word derived from late 1800 African Americans in the southeastern United States meaning “folk magic”.  I can’t find out who actually named these crazily carved and magical shaped rocks.  Zoomed in and zoomed out.

Thors Hammer last light Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahA different view than from the top of the iconic Thor’s Hammer hoodoo.

Thors Hammer Hoodoos valley last light full moon rise sunset Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Hoodoos full moon rise sunset Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI had so much fun.

sunset distant view full moon Bryce Canyon National Park UtahAfter my shoot on the climb up to the rim I stopped a young boy, maybe tweenage, from driving his remote control 18-inch car down the trail.  No motorized vehicles allowed.  Even though I wasn’t in uniform, told him I was a Ranger, and he asked if he could drive it back up and I said “no, carry it.”  Which he did with no other response.  Where were his parents?

last light view East from Fairyland Point Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

last light on hoodoos Boat Mesa from Fairland Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahTo avoid crowds and for someplace different, the next night I went to Fairyland Point.  For the first time I found a place to park in the tiny lot.  Arrived at 8:25 for an 8:49 sunset and 8:58 moon rise.

last light Fairyland Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

last light Sinking Ship from Fairyland Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThe trail had obviously been walked on when wet and was lumpy and uneven which made for unsteady slow walking.  I should have brought my tripod and used it as a walking stick.  Thank goodness a light breeze kept most of the bugs away.

trees hoodoos sunset Fairyland Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

trees hoodoos Earth Shadow from Fairyland Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahScoped a couple places out with Photo Pills but didn’t feel like I could trust it 100% even with recalibrating the previous night.

reverse sunset Fairyland Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

hoodoos sunset Fairyland Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

trees hoodoos Sinking Ship sunset Fairyland Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI would have had to walk a little further than I wanted to get below the hoodoos for the shots I imagined.  But with the hazy horizon I didn’t catch the first rise anyway.

Sinking Ship Hoodoos valley full moon from Fairyland Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahA young woman and her “Sherpa” coming up the trail with “$1000s in camera gear” hadn’t even seen the full moon.  She joined me setting up her tripod.  Hope she got some better shots than I did as darkness deepened.

full moon hoodoos Fairyland Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahI like to walk a trail under full moon light, to see the shadows, and wished for my tripod to take more photos.

Hoodoos full moon rise sunset Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahProcessing these shots took a lot of time, going from silhouette to pulled shadows for a little more color.  I most time preferred the dark silhouette.  How about you?

Hoodoos full moon reverse sunset Navajo Loop Trail Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThis experience gave me the idea for a Shooting the light full moon walk about balance in nature, photography, and life.  Possibly in September.

red hills Tropic valley Blue Cliffs Aquarius Plateau sunrays rainbow storm clouds from Bryce Pt Bryce Canyon National Park UtahBut now that monsoon has finally arrived it’s rather hit or miss for clear skies to full clouds.  Yet I’m still working on a plan for August Bryce Canyon full moon hoodoos.  I’m off work the 14th for an 8:17 moon rise five minutes before sunset.  My work schedule on the 15th has me closing the visitor center at 8pm so I’ll probably miss the 8:20 sunset but should be able to make the 8:51 moon rise somewhere behind the hoodoos.

Bryce Canyon National Park, full moon, Utah , , , , 33 Comments

Shopping road trip Bryce Canyon to Cedar City, and back

In early July there was still construction on SR12 to the west so also a slight delay for my morning road trip from Bryce Canyon to Cedar City for a long day of shopping.  Only the first of several incidents for the day.

cars arch SR12 West Red Canyon Dixie National Forest UtahYet it’s always pretty driving through Red Canyon and their blasted-tunnel arches.  Not a bad place to be stuck in construction traffic.

aspen SR14 Dixie National Forest Utah

meadow trees mountain SR14 Dixie National Forest UtahPlus the rest of the drive is scenic and I do like the curvy State Route 14 through a lava field, past the aspen (making note for fall color), and meadows with some flowers.

Past the Cedar Breaks National Monument turnoff, a literally cool location at almost 10,000 feet, and a tempting side trip for another time.

red cliffs trees moon SR14 Dixie National Forest UtahThen descending with a quick peak back at some hoodoos.

cliffs trees SR14 Dixie National Forest Utah

cliffs trees SR14 Dixie National Forest Utah

cliffs trees SR14 Dixie National Forest UtahThrough more curves surrounded by towering cliffs and some interesting looking geology.

cliffs trees SR14 Dixie National Forest UtahUntil many curves later and 5,000 feet lower Cedar City came into sight.

crunch on truck Cedar City UtahNow I’m not keen on shopping in big towns but sometimes the list gets long, so once a month I bite the bullet and then have several stops to make.  Pulling into a parking lot with a huge dip knocked off part of the sewer attachment, no leakage, and I was able to retrieve the piece. Second time this has happened but this time not as serious. Then, I creamed the passenger door on a short yellow cement post and left a crease.  The first mark I’ve put in this ole gal. Door still opens.

chicken Tom Yum soup Pad Thai & Satay at Sweet Basil Cedar City UtahThings got better after that with a delicious Thai lunch at Sweet Basil.  The best part about going to town is eating out.  Oh, and fresh produce.

cliffs trees moon SR14 Dixie National Forest UtahFinally after too many hours shopping I headed back on the pretty scenic drive with a waxing moon hanging over the landscape of Cedar Canyon.

Grand Staircase view South SR14 Dixie National Forest UtahMade a stop at the Grand Staircase viewpoint.  Sadly a bit hazy (could be smoke) to see the entire 80 miles south to the Kaibab Plateau.  However this is an interesting perspective of Zion’s white cliffs about 55 miles away.

Navajo Lake mountain Dixie National Forest UtahAlso stopped at the Navajo Lake overlook showing the lake fuller than I’ve ever seen with even the dike underwater.  Appeared to be quite a few campers along the far shore.

flowers meadow trees SR14 Dixie National Forest UtahBack past the lava flow which I’d like to spend more time exploring.  But as it was getting late enough I whizzed on by.   Thought about a side trip into Cedar Breaks for wildflowers but just didn’t seem like enough blooms yet.  I’ve heard they are in full bloom now so may return.

Sevier River meadows Paunsaungunt Plateau SR89 UtahI did explore a side road, maybe a piece of old SR89, I’ve been eyeballing for a while.

fence meadow Sevier River UtahRuns along the Sevier River as it winds like a serpent across meadows and through fenced grazing lands with views east of the Paunsaugunt Plateau where I live, work, and play.

fence meadow Sevier River UtahI always enjoy the rarity of seeing water in the Southwest.

arch red rock trees SR12 East Red Canyon Dixie National Forest Utah

hoodoos trees SR12 stopped for construction Red Canyon Dixie National Forest UtahThen back through Red Canyon, the arches, and the construction wait which gave me time to take a few photos out the truck window.

Sierra cat bag of thrift store clothesIt was a long day driving two hours each direction from Bryce Canyon to Cedar City plus way too much time shopping.  But Sierra seemed to approve of my thrift store purchases.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar City, Utah , , 20 Comments

Traveling to Tropic Reservoir Dixie National Forest near Bryce Canyon

map Bryce Canyon National Park & Dixie National Forest UtahTropic Reservoir is only about 4 miles west from where I live (green line), as the Raven flies.  However to drive to Tropic Reservoir required (pink lines) 3 miles out of the park, 2 miles west on SR12, and 7 miles south on the East Fork Road or FR087 (Forest Road).  Not all that far to drive but could have been closer.

gate Mixing Circle & FR 088 Bryce Canyon National Park UtahMy RV home is parked along the fence line dividing Bryce Canyon National Park and the Dixie National Forest.  It’s a pretty place to live under the Ponderosa Pines.

trees valley buildingg East Fork Sevier River mountains FR087 Dixie National Forest UtahEast Fork Sevier River

And it’s a pretty drive to visit the meadows and forest on the Dixie, especially once on FR087 headed south along the dusty gravel road to Tropic Reservoir.

OHV dust FR087 Dixie National Forest UtahAnd I do mean dusty.  Even the signs reminding drivers of the 25mph to reduce dust, doesn’t seem to mean much to most folks.  Lots of OHV (off highway vehicles) which are fancy enough to be enclosed so they don’t eat their own dust versus the open kind where all riders are helmeted and faces covered with bandanas.  Me, I’m a lollygag, so I pull over and let them speed by, often just waiting for their dust to subside.

Dark Ranger Observatory sign FR087 UtahSaw where some local Dark Rangers have a telescope setup not far down the road.  We enjoy some of the darkest skies in the west around here.

camping on the East Fork sign FR087 Dixie National Forest UtahI didn’t go to camp, however I wanted to know about the Dixie’s restrictions on designated dispersed camping rules, which seem unusual for a national forest.  But I get it because some folks abuse the land, leave a mess, drive over plants, and start fires.  In the Powell Ranger District the policy is to protect the “holistic watershed restoration in cooperation with land management agencies, private land owners, and other interested parties.”  I’m glad someone is thinking about watersheds and how humans have an impact.  I didn’t drive south of Tropic Reservoir.

campsite Kings Creek campground Dixie National Forest UtahThese 10 free sites are located south of the Kings Creek campground with 38 sites at $15/night with no hookups but toilets nearby, first come first served for all campsites.

trees Tropic Reservoir King Creek boat launch area Dixie National Forest UtahThere is also a boat launch ramp within 1/2-mile of the campground into the Tropic Reservoir which averages 10-25 feet deep.  During the heat of summer the water level can drop below the concrete ramp pad.  The reservoir is stocked with brook, rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout and open for fishing with a valid Utah state license.  I watched a couple of families with kids swimming on the ramp area.

OHV dust FR087 Dixie National Forest UtahKings Creek is a favorite of OHV enthusiasts, but not me, because of its easy access to a large network of trails and gravel roads. The Fremont ATV trail passes within 1/4 mile of the campground and the Great Western Trail is nearby.  Hiking and mountain biking trails are plentiful as well, with access from various points within the campground.  Too much dust.

meadow trees FR088 Great Western trail Dixie National Forest UtahI saw sideroad FR088 and later learned that connects to the FR back to where I live.  It’s also part of the Great Western trail, a north-south long distance multiple use route which runs from Canada to Mexico.  No wonder I occasionally hear what I thought was motorcycles.

grass water trees red cliffs Tropic Reservoir Dixie National Forest Utah

Tropic Reservoir Geese birds trees red rock Dixie National Forest Utah

water Geese birds island grass road trees FR087 Tropic Reservoir Dixie National Forest UtahAlso turned out to be a great place for bird watching.  Although difficult to see even zoomed in all the way those dots look like Canadian Geese to me.

Osprey nest snag FR087 Dixie National Forest Utah

Osprey bird pooping snag tree FR087 Tropic Reservoir Dixie National Forest UtahLightening the load

Osprey nest snag FR087 Dixie National Forest UtahI saw this huge nest, then heard the cry of Osprey, a bird I haven’t seen in a long time.  Finally saw one, then two in the tree tops.  Not sure if this is a ‘youngster’ in the nest.  As usual, not the sharpest shots as I find birds difficult to photograph.

people paddle boards Tropic Reservoir Dixie National Forest UtahI’d seen some people on paddle boards and taken a few shots.  Then while at the Tropic Spring ran into them, exchanged contact information, and later sent them pics.

water grass fence meadow mountain Tropic Spring FR087 Dixie National Forest UtahThe water bubbled up through a pipe in a boulder and smelled good and tasted fine, so I filled a couple containers from a spigot on the side.  As did the folks mentioned above.  Then a crew of OHV folks arrived to quench their dusty thirst and it was time to move on.

cows crossing FR087 Dixie National Forest UtahAnd head home.  Of course the Dixie National Forest is range land.

Dixie National Forest, Utah , , , , 25 Comments

Lijit

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