Western US Photo OPs
Jun 4, 2017 07:10:36 #
This coming October I will be doing a three week driving tour of the Western US. I will be starting in Southern IN and driving to Jackson Hole, WY - from there to Salt Lake City - then to Moab - from there to Santa Fe- and then loop back to IN. Obviously, there are great photo ops at those main locations, but I am looking for some lesser known locations along the way in Missouri, Nebraska, Wyoming(from Cheyenne to Jackson), northern Utah, the panhandle of Texas, and Oklahoma. Any suggestions for you will be greatly appreciated.
I sincerely thank you for your input.
I sincerely thank you for your input.
Jun 4, 2017 07:13:27 #
Unfortunately i've never been to any of those places...i wanted to say this trip sounds wonderful. Have a great time.
Jun 4, 2017 08:03:07 #
Jun 4, 2017 08:21:22 #
Jun 4, 2017 08:29:21 #
Cheyenne to Jackason Hole is a long boring drive with lots of heavy truck traffic. I would suggest heading north on US 25 to Casper the west US 26 to Shoshoni. From there north on 20 past the Boysen through Wind River canyon to Thermopolis, then north on US120 to Cody. Wind River Canyon will be fantastic in October. Cody is only 50 miles from the east entrance to Yellowstone. This takes you through Yellowstone and south to Jackson Hole. Don't miss the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody. Pack warm clothes, it can get cold in the Parks in October. Enjoy!
Jun 4, 2017 08:38:05 #
Hoops12751 wrote:
This coming October I will be doing a three week d... (show quote)
Missouri - nope, nothing to see. Drive straight through.
Nebraska - keep going. Rack up the miles, and don't get sidetracked.
Wyoming - now you're hitting it. Try to get the Snowy Range scenic byway, Wind River Canyon scenic byway, Sinks Canyon state park, Grand Teton National Park.
Utah - bliss. Come directly down from Jackson to Flaming Gorge Reservoir to Vernal. Then to Grand Staircase Escalante after you leave Moab.
New Mexico - even more. Visit the Jemez Mountains.
Oklahoma, Texas - After spending all of your free time wandering Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico, grind out the miles to get home so you can start processing your images.
Jun 4, 2017 08:51:24 #
Don't miss Yellowstone! I've lived in western Colorado, including Moab, for 42 years and have photographed a lot of it. The following route goes south from Jackson to Moab but skips Salt Lake.
If you want to get off the beaten track this is the route I'd take. From Jackson drive south to Pinedale and then Rock Springs. From Rock Springs head south again on Wyo 430 into Colorado. Its a paved road in Wyoming, turning to well maintained gravel at the Colorado line and Moffat County 10N. This road goes south into Browns Park through a lovely dry canyon called Irish Canyon. 10N joins Colo. Hwy 318 just east of the Gates of Ladore at the northern tip of Dinosaur NM. This is where John W Powell entered Ladore Canyon and had his first serious mishaps (and loss of a boat) on his 1869 Colorado River expedition. Going east 318 runs into US HWY 40 at Maybell. From Maybell I'd go west toward the tiny town of Dinosaur. You can take a side trip into Dinosaur NM and drive up to Harpers Corner and get a spectacular view of the Green and Yampa River canyons. From Dinosaur you can head west to Salt Lake or south on Colo 64 to Rangely and then south on Colo 139 to the Grand Valley. Here you can go either west on I-70 to Moab (make sure your get off I-70 at Cisco and take Utah 128 along the Colorado River). Another very scenic road is going south from Grand Junction on US 50 to Colo 141, then west to Gateway through Unaweep Canyon (an ancient route of the Colorado River, spectacular!), then continuing south along the Dolores River to Colo 90. Take 90 west to Bedrock and Paradox and Utah. In Utah the road becomes 46 and joins US 191 south of Moab. You can go north to Moab, not that far. After Moab (Arches NP, Dead Horse Point SP and Canyonlands NP) you can go south on US 191 through the new Bears Ears NM (Monticello, Blanding, Bluff, Mexican Hat - a great place to stop for the night). Just west of Bluff US 191 heads south, but you'll want to take US 163 to Mexican Hat. South of Mexican Hat you head to Arizona through Monument Valley, which I'm sure you've heard of, and the Navajo Reservation. US 163 runs into US 160 at Kayenta. There is a great little museum about the Navajo Code Talkers of WWII in the Burger King, odd, I know, but this is the west..). From Kayenta you can do a couple things, depending on time. You can go west to the Grand Canyon (AZ 98 is a scenic side trip to Page and the Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry). From GC you can drop south to Flagstaff and then east to Albuquerque and then north to Santa Fe. You can also head east from Kayenta into New Mexico where US 160 runs into US 64 at Teec Nos Pos. US 64 winds through northern New Mexico to Taos, from where you can head south to Santa Fe. 64 is a wonderfully scenic route as well.
If you want to go the Salt Lake route head south from Jackson on US 89, catching the SE corner of Idaho and Bear Lake (very scenic road). From Salt Lake I'd head either east on US 40, from Park City to Vernal and Dinosaur where you can pick up the route described above.
Needless to say there are many side roads and places to explore all along this route. Most of it is off the beaten track through some of the most photogenic parts of the southwest. I've travelled all of these roads and can vouch for them. Also, make sure you fill your gas tank at certain places. Gas stations can get scarce and far apart, especially going south from Rock Springs or from Grand Junction to Moab via Gateway, Bedrock and Paradox (there is a good one in Gateway now).
My advice on the plains states is to stay of the interstates as much as you can. The roads through western Nebraska's sand hill country are wonderful. Still, you'll likely need to take I-80 to Grand Island, Neb. Thats just the fastest way to get where you can get into the real West. From Grand Island I'd take Neb 2 to Alliance, then north on US 385 to Chadron to US 20, then US 20 across Wyoming through Casper (with a short stretch on I-25) to Jackson.
I can't help you much east of Albuquerque. Sorry! I have driven southern Missouri, which also has many scenic byways.
Good luck and have a great time! You could spend months on these roads. I have.
If you want to get off the beaten track this is the route I'd take. From Jackson drive south to Pinedale and then Rock Springs. From Rock Springs head south again on Wyo 430 into Colorado. Its a paved road in Wyoming, turning to well maintained gravel at the Colorado line and Moffat County 10N. This road goes south into Browns Park through a lovely dry canyon called Irish Canyon. 10N joins Colo. Hwy 318 just east of the Gates of Ladore at the northern tip of Dinosaur NM. This is where John W Powell entered Ladore Canyon and had his first serious mishaps (and loss of a boat) on his 1869 Colorado River expedition. Going east 318 runs into US HWY 40 at Maybell. From Maybell I'd go west toward the tiny town of Dinosaur. You can take a side trip into Dinosaur NM and drive up to Harpers Corner and get a spectacular view of the Green and Yampa River canyons. From Dinosaur you can head west to Salt Lake or south on Colo 64 to Rangely and then south on Colo 139 to the Grand Valley. Here you can go either west on I-70 to Moab (make sure your get off I-70 at Cisco and take Utah 128 along the Colorado River). Another very scenic road is going south from Grand Junction on US 50 to Colo 141, then west to Gateway through Unaweep Canyon (an ancient route of the Colorado River, spectacular!), then continuing south along the Dolores River to Colo 90. Take 90 west to Bedrock and Paradox and Utah. In Utah the road becomes 46 and joins US 191 south of Moab. You can go north to Moab, not that far. After Moab (Arches NP, Dead Horse Point SP and Canyonlands NP) you can go south on US 191 through the new Bears Ears NM (Monticello, Blanding, Bluff, Mexican Hat - a great place to stop for the night). Just west of Bluff US 191 heads south, but you'll want to take US 163 to Mexican Hat. South of Mexican Hat you head to Arizona through Monument Valley, which I'm sure you've heard of, and the Navajo Reservation. US 163 runs into US 160 at Kayenta. There is a great little museum about the Navajo Code Talkers of WWII in the Burger King, odd, I know, but this is the west..). From Kayenta you can do a couple things, depending on time. You can go west to the Grand Canyon (AZ 98 is a scenic side trip to Page and the Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry). From GC you can drop south to Flagstaff and then east to Albuquerque and then north to Santa Fe. You can also head east from Kayenta into New Mexico where US 160 runs into US 64 at Teec Nos Pos. US 64 winds through northern New Mexico to Taos, from where you can head south to Santa Fe. 64 is a wonderfully scenic route as well.
If you want to go the Salt Lake route head south from Jackson on US 89, catching the SE corner of Idaho and Bear Lake (very scenic road). From Salt Lake I'd head either east on US 40, from Park City to Vernal and Dinosaur where you can pick up the route described above.
Needless to say there are many side roads and places to explore all along this route. Most of it is off the beaten track through some of the most photogenic parts of the southwest. I've travelled all of these roads and can vouch for them. Also, make sure you fill your gas tank at certain places. Gas stations can get scarce and far apart, especially going south from Rock Springs or from Grand Junction to Moab via Gateway, Bedrock and Paradox (there is a good one in Gateway now).
My advice on the plains states is to stay of the interstates as much as you can. The roads through western Nebraska's sand hill country are wonderful. Still, you'll likely need to take I-80 to Grand Island, Neb. Thats just the fastest way to get where you can get into the real West. From Grand Island I'd take Neb 2 to Alliance, then north on US 385 to Chadron to US 20, then US 20 across Wyoming through Casper (with a short stretch on I-25) to Jackson.
I can't help you much east of Albuquerque. Sorry! I have driven southern Missouri, which also has many scenic byways.
Good luck and have a great time! You could spend months on these roads. I have.
Jun 4, 2017 09:13:55 #
IMHO the primary "not to be missed" western US photo op is...the western US.
Jun 4, 2017 09:20:44 #
Bill1967 wrote:
Cheyenne to Jackason Hole is a long boring drive w... (show quote)
A detour to Cody and the Buffalo Bill museum would be on my agenda.
Jun 4, 2017 09:22:25 #
When we moved from D.C. To Oregon for what we like, there was nothing to see until we were in very western Nebraska. First cool place was S Dakota. We never took the highway after that. Wyoming was amazing with barely seeing another car. I always wanted to see Devil's tower from the movie Close Encounter. It was great. Just like here in Oregon, at every turn there was something beautiful to see. To this day I still don't know why, but wind river canyon was the most amazing experience I have ever had. Another must see. Yellowstone was great but for me if I never see it again, I'll be fine. The grand Teton I'd visit to photograph for sure. If you are not scared to drive, Bear Tooth highway is stunning. Locals told us that many elderly people call 911 for help. Too scared to drive their rvs. So 2 police officers will go get them - one of them will drive the RV/bus down from the top or from where ever they stopped. Stunning scenery but very twisty. Utah - just an amazingly beautiful state. I could spend months exploring it. Again I'd like to emphasize that if you have the time, get off the highways. Albuquerque to Taos Pueblo is another must see route. You will drive through Sandia Point. New Mexico is another beautiful state. Stay off the main roads and an hour drive will take you 3 or 4 hours, there is so much beauty. Can't help you with Texas, but the only time I drove through, The only thing I remember is that cops were carrying huge guns. So you will be safe. Lol. Have fun and take lots of pictures.
Jun 4, 2017 09:24:54 #
Rich1939 wrote:
A detour to Cody and the Buffalo Bill museum would be on my agenda.
A detour to Cody and the Buffalo Bill museum would be on my agenda.
Jun 4, 2017 09:37:48 #
Riverrune wrote:
Don't miss Yellowstone! I've lived in western Colo... (show quote)
"Another very scenic road is going south from Grand Junction on US 50 to Colo 141, then west to Gateway through Unaweep Canyon (an ancient route of the Colorado River, spectacular!), then continuing south along the Dolores River to Colo 90. Take 90 west to Bedrock and Paradox and Utah. In Utah the road becomes 46 and joins US 191 south of Moab. You can go north to Moab, not that far."
That route from Gateway should not be missed, it is a gem as is Paradox . I'd add this; just north of Moab take 128 east along the Colorado River to Castle Valley. Castle Valley is like a compressed version of Monument Valley.
East of ABQ. you'll be getting into high plains country of sorts. the
Tucumcari area has some red rock formations that work well in the evening while the town it self has (had?) several old Route 66 photo opportunities.
Going across the Texas Pan Handle, other then a detour to Palo duro the only thing I ever noticed was that all the tress lean north because of the constant wind. If you're driving a van type vehicle be ready for that wind.
Jun 4, 2017 11:13:12 #
In Oklahoma, the Wichita Mountains region, or in the northern part of the state, the Great Salt Plains NWR and state park.
Jun 4, 2017 11:13:52 #
Rich1939 wrote:
A detour to Cody and the Buffalo Bill museum would be on my agenda.
A detour to Cody and the Buffalo Bill museum would be on my agenda.
Absolutely! A lot of people are unaware of this truly world class museum. The western art wing alone is worth the stop. From Cody it's only a short stop into Yellowston's east entrance and Jackson beyond.
Jun 4, 2017 12:24:59 #
Photographer Jim wrote:
Absolutely! A lot of people are unaware of this truly world class museum. The western art wing alone is worth the stop. From Cody it's only a short stop into Yellowston's east entrance and Jackson beyond.
On a trip through the west with a stop at the Buffalo Bill Museum you might add a stop on the way back at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Both of these museums will make you wish that you had more time to explore them.
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