manishbit

Dear Friends,
Needed some suggestions on a "quick" 5 day “Photography” road trip from Vegas to Denver during the Nov Thanksgiving weekend. 3 of us will be reaching Las Vegas on Tue night around 11 PM and have a return flight from Denver on Sun evening at around 8 PM.
I have listed down some key places which I would like to visit, all open to change though (in the order from Vegas to Denver)
MAP: https://goo.gl/p9Mb93
• Death Valley
• Coral Pink Sand Dunes Park
• Paria Canyon
• Horseshoe Bend
• Monument Valley
• Shiprock, NM
• Arches National Park
• Aspen (Maroon Bells)

My primary interest is Photography (Nature, Wildlife, Sunrise/Sunsets, Star trails, Milky Way etc). Please let me know the most scenic routes to take from Vegas to Denver and what places/parks can I cover for Day and Night Photography.
Note: I have been to Zion, Bryce, Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon earlier, so not too keen to see them again, but wouldn’t mind including them if it takes me through a really awesome scenic byway or dark night skies. Also, I don’t mind hectic driving schedules if that helps me get good shots. I do understand looking at my plan that it involves almost 250 miles of driving every day.

Thanks,

MidwestHiker

What are your thoughts on driving to Death Valley straight from the airport? Along those same lines, what are your thoughts on doing some driving in the dark to get to your next location by sunrise?

Death Valley tends to look pretty flat in the mid-day light. If you can't make it there for sunrise on Wednesday, I would probably opt to skip it unless you have a strong interest in seeing the park regardless of how well it photographs. The sky typically doesn't have many clouds, so you likely won't get much of a dramatic sunrise/sunset. You're more looking at some soft light and shadows on sand dunes or rock formations. So...if you can't get there by sunrise, you'd have to wait until later afternoon for that and I don't think it's worth using a full day for that park.

Likewise for Coral Pink Sand Dunes - you need to be there for sunrise or sunset or the dunes won't really look pink or be very photogenic.

Luckily the moonrise will be in the early mornings, so you'll have plenty of dark skies. Most of the area you're covering will be good for having dark skies. Bryce has some of the darkest skies in the country.

I wouldn't plan on seeing much wildlife (at least not the larger animals). Might see some desert bighorn sheep in Death Valley and Arches, pronghorn around Bryce, the random deer and possibly elk once you hit the mountains.

The leaves will be long gone around Maroon Bells but if you're lucky you may have some snow to liven things up.

DebitNM

Mesa Verde National Park is a must see in my book. I would try to do that instead of Shiprock, which really isn't more than a photo op from a distance and not a great photo op IMHO.

wtm003

I think the road to Maroon Bells closes around mid-November, so check that out before you detour to Aspen. If you hadn't already bought your plane tickets I'd consider staying south and visiting the area around Santa Fe and flying out of ABQ.

manishbit

Thanks for your inputs. Regarding the huge travel time, I agree with all of you, and I honestly wish that I had the luxury of time. The good part is that we are 4 of us, so we will take turns driving/sleeping.

So I need to make the BEST (and Feasible, Safe) out of the time that I have. So I need your help regarding my 2 Plans regarding the Route to be taken

--> Keeping in mind that Colorado (Aspen, Maroon Bell areas) may have snow and closed roads, I have come up with another Plan (Plan B).
--> I am still OPEN to removing Death Valley, but I am trying to squeeze a 1 night (6 hrs trip) photography time in Death Valley (Tue night photography then sunrise at Zabriskie and start back towards "Valley of Fire")

NOTE: The below places denote the route that I will take and NOT whether I will halt at all these places, ‘coz I understand that it will not be possible. It could be a drive through and I completely understand what I may be missing (As mentioned above, I have been to Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands and Arches earlier)

Plan A 5 Days, 23 hrs Driving ==> From Vegas Airport
- Zabriskie Point Sunrise
- Valley of Fire
- Paria Canyon
- Horseshoe Bend
- Agathla Peak
- Monument Valley
- Shiprock
- Arches NP
Denver Airport

Plan B 5 Days, 29 hrs Driving ==> From Vegas Airport
- Zabriskie Point Sunrise
- Valley of Fire
- Zion NP
- Bryce Canyon NP
- Capitol Reef NP
- Arches NP
- Agathla Peak
- Monument Valley
- Shiprock
- Santa Fe
Denver Airport

Thanks,
Manish

emalloy

I would do plan A but skip Shiprock and spend more time in Arches and/or Canyonlands.

mlgb

Can you fit in Lees Ferry/Vermillion Cliffs/Cliff dwellers?

lindagj

Avoid I70 coming out of the mountains anytime Thanksgiving Sunday. Will be a parking lot and a little snow makes it worse. You are flying on one of the busiest days of the year. Expect extremely heavy traffic getting to DIA and shoulder to shoulder people inside the terminal.