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DPChallenge Forums >> Out and About >> 32 hours in and around Las Vegas
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09/13/2012 09:13:32 PM · #1
In pursuit of reclaiming my FSM position from Cuttooth I decided to extend my trip by a day :)

I have from 1:30pm to 8:30pm the next day before I take my flight back. Any suggestions on places I might be able to catch sunset, sunrise, stars?

Browsing through photos on google maps it seems like Zion National Park might be my best alternative. Any other hidden spots within few hours drive of Vegas?
09/14/2012 09:05:08 AM · #2
anyone?
Maybe I should just stay in Vegas and continue gambling.
09/14/2012 09:34:12 AM · #3
Valley of Fire is much closer and pretty cool place. Zion Nat'' park is awesome, I believe you got to hike into most of the cool spots. If you go the other way the Grand Canyon is super awesome. Have a Great time!
09/14/2012 10:23:39 AM · #4
I'd say you might as well stay in Vegas and gamble since you'd probably have a better chance at that than reclaiming the lead. :)

All kidding aside.
The valley of fire is nice and only about a 20 minute drive outside of town. Lake Mead is fairly close too...sunrise/sunset shots there might be nice. I didn't do much else as far as scenic stuff. At least it wont be as hot as when I was there. One day it was 118 degrees and 106 degrees at midnight...ugh.
09/14/2012 10:33:35 AM · #5
Both Zion and Bryce Canyon are awesome. Quite a trek though to drive there and back in a day. How about an air tour of Grand Canyon and Lake Powell?
09/14/2012 11:06:15 AM · #6
Thanks ace flyman - Grand Canyon seems like a very long drive, but will explore that option more.

@ cuttooth - you can start counting your days on top, I already have the September entry in and its awesome :p
Lake Mead looks like a nice option and the drive won't be too bad.

@ PennyStreet - Bryce looks amazing- might be too far considering all the photography stops I will take on the way. I have to figure out if its safe to sleep in the car at night :)

Since I am travelling alone, I will save the air tour for a trip with my wife.

ETA: Do I have to hike at most places to get anything decent? Or are there places I can pull over and take pictures?

Message edited by author 2012-09-14 11:07:23.
09/14/2012 01:49:26 PM · #7
Valley of fire is a short walk in- i never got there when the light was good but I'm guessing it's a good bet. Lake Meade I don't remember much but it's just east of las Vegas, formed by Hoover Dam. Zion is pretty big, hike out to spectacular waterfalls, but there are a couple of short loop trails with interesting forest floor views. Pretty. I hope that helps.
09/14/2012 03:18:14 PM · #8
If the 2 hour drive isn't too far, Death Valley is a pretty target rich environment and most of what you might want to shoot is a short walk from a parking area. I have never had much luck with Lake Mead and the water levels are pretty low of late.

Message edited by author 2012-09-14 15:19:07.
09/14/2012 03:41:44 PM · #9
Death Valley is fantastic. The view from Zabriskie Point....
09/14/2012 04:25:21 PM · #10
Thanks everyone for the replies!

Wow - Death Valley looks amazing! For some reason I never checked west of Vegas!

Didn't realize the moving rocks and the sand dunes are in Death Valley!

Looks like there are few places I can bunk for the night and freshen up in the morning which is all I need for a day.

I am starting to explore the map, any particular places within death valley that you can recommend? How safe is it in the area to stay up late in the night all by myself? Any wildlife I need to worry about?
09/14/2012 04:37:04 PM · #11
Originally posted by vikas:

How safe is it in the area to stay up late in the night all by myself? Any wildlife I need to worry about?


Very safe. No wildlife that will bother you in terms of large predators. Biggest thing out there would be a stray coyote. Scorpions and snakes are around, but they never bothered me in all the times I went. It's a very early-in-the-morning and late-in-the-afternoon sort of place, though, as far as light goes. I spent more time at Zabriskie Point, Furnace Creek, and the Dunes than anywhere else. Here's a photographer's guide to some of these places:

//macdanzigphotography.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/death-valley-national-park-a-photography-guide/
09/14/2012 04:42:21 PM · #12
That's great information Robert, exactly what I was looking for! Thank you very much!

09/14/2012 04:49:59 PM · #13
He links to this google map with the photography spots marked:

Death Valley Photo Spots
09/14/2012 09:54:00 PM · #14
Looking at the street view on google is already making me excited! Really looking forward.

Changed my car reservation to a SUV.

Trip decided so far (if everything goes as planned) - link to route map

1:00pm start from Vegas
3:00pm stop over at Furnace Creek, checkin and refuel for the evening.
6:00pm reach Racetrack Valley (sunset at 6:30), google maps is adding 2 hours for the 15mile dirt track on racetrack valley road, don't know how realistic that is!
Shoot the evening and night sky (new moon night) return back late and retire for the night.
5:30am Mesquite Dunes
11:00am start driving back, stopping by at either Rhyolite (ghost town) or Zabriskie Point

Hopefully its not being over ambitious.
09/14/2012 09:56:43 PM · #15
Originally posted by vikas:

Looking at the street view on google is already making me excited! Really looking forward.

Changed my car reservation to a SUV.

Trip decided so far (if everything goes as planned) - link to route map

1:00pm start from Vegas
3:00pm stop over at Furnace Creek, checkin and refuel for the evening.
6:00pm reach Racetrack Valley (sunset at 6:30), google maps is adding 2 hours for the 15mile dirt track on racetrack valley road, don't know how realistic that is!
Shoot the evening and night sky (new moon night) return back late and retire for the night.
5:30am Mesquite Dunes
11:00am start driving back, stopping by at either Rhyolite (ghost town) or Zabriskie Point

Hopefully its not being over ambitious.


Awesome! Go for it!
09/14/2012 11:10:58 PM · #16
damn, that sounds awesome.
i really need to start taking trips with other photographers.
09/15/2012 12:25:29 PM · #17
Originally posted by Cuttooth:

damn, that sounds awesome.
i really need to start taking trips with other photographers.


Yup, you do. C'mon East.

IN the meanwhile, I wonder how Vikas is making out?
09/15/2012 05:23:07 PM · #18
Originally posted by vikas:

Looking at the street view on google is already making me excited! Really looking forward.

Changed my car reservation to a SUV.

Trip decided so far (if everything goes as planned) - link to route map

1:00pm start from Vegas
3:00pm stop over at Furnace Creek, checkin and refuel for the evening.
6:00pm reach Racetrack Valley (sunset at 6:30), google maps is adding 2 hours for the 15mile dirt track on racetrack valley road, don't know how realistic that is!
Shoot the evening and night sky (new moon night) return back late and retire for the night.
5:30am Mesquite Dunes
11:00am start driving back, stopping by at either Rhyolite (ghost town) or Zabriskie Point

Hopefully its not being over ambitious.


Sound like a blast -- you will be happy you are driving a rental on the road to the racetrack. :)
09/15/2012 08:54:17 PM · #19
Originally posted by mpeters:

Originally posted by vikas:

Looking at the street view on google is already making me excited! Really looking forward.

Changed my car reservation to a SUV.

Trip decided so far (if everything goes as planned) - link to route map

1:00pm start from Vegas
3:00pm stop over at Furnace Creek, checkin and refuel for the evening.
6:00pm reach Racetrack Valley (sunset at 6:30), google maps is adding 2 hours for the 15mile dirt track on racetrack valley road, don't know how realistic that is!
Shoot the evening and night sky (new moon night) return back late and retire for the night.
5:30am Mesquite Dunes
11:00am start driving back, stopping by at either Rhyolite (ghost town) or Zabriskie Point

Hopefully its not being over ambitious.


Sound like a blast -- you will be happy you are driving a rental on the road to the racetrack. :)


It's been a few years since I've been there. Some thoughts on your itinerary:

You will not be disappointed by any of the above. If you can, think about getting to "The Racetrack" in late afternoon for the best shadows on those racing rocks. However, perhaps you will want to time it so you do NOT end up driving back in the dark. The SUV with high clearance should work nicely for that interesting road.

Rhyolite is well worth the stop. Well, so is Zabriskie Point, but (IMO) that's an early morning or late afternoon stop. You can get some good material at Rhyolite at any time of day.

Think about saving your dark AM hours for Mesquite Dunes. Walk well out into the dunes before sunrise for exquisite views of the dunes and surrounding mountains as the day dawns.
09/16/2012 08:40:21 PM · #20
This trip is planned for mid October, so I am still alive :)
Will keep everyone posted once I return from the trip!

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by Cuttooth:

damn, that sounds awesome.
i really need to start taking trips with other photographers.


Yup, you do. C'mon East.

IN the meanwhile, I wonder how Vikas is making out?
09/16/2012 08:46:30 PM · #21
Thanks Alice for the suggestions. I am at Mesquite on a Monday morning in October, so hopefully my walk in the dunes for un-walked landmarks might be not that bad. I am planning to start walking early before sunrise (at 6:15am) and catch the first light.

Will it be a really bad drive in the night from racetrack? I was hoping to catch star trails if its a clear night, and from the article Robert posted it seems like racetrack is the best spot to take night shots.

Originally posted by sfalice:


It's been a few years since I've been there. Some thoughts on your itinerary:

You will not be disappointed by any of the above. If you can, think about getting to "The Racetrack" in late afternoon for the best shadows on those racing rocks. However, perhaps you will want to time it so you do NOT end up driving back in the dark. The SUV with high clearance should work nicely for that interesting road.

Rhyolite is well worth the stop. Well, so is Zabriskie Point, but (IMO) that's an early morning or late afternoon stop. You can get some good material at Rhyolite at any time of day.

Think about saving your dark AM hours for Mesquite Dunes. Walk well out into the dunes before sunrise for exquisite views of the dunes and surrounding mountains as the day dawns.
09/16/2012 09:04:54 PM · #22
AH! That wasn't clear :-) Excellent! The October part, I mean. Personally, I wouldn't worry about the drive from the racetrack at night, but then it's been a coup[le decades since I was there, so what do I know? You can call the National Park headquarters and ask THEM...

Message edited by author 2012-09-16 21:06:33.
09/16/2012 09:35:28 PM · #23
Originally posted by Bear_Music:

AH! That wasn't clear :-) Excellent! The October part, I mean. Personally, I wouldn't worry about the drive from the racetrack at night, but then it's been a coup[le decades since I was there, so what do I know? You can call the National Park headquarters and ask THEM...

Yep, Bear says it right. Although Death Valley is full of wide open spaces with no lights (optimal for star trails?) if your heart set on the Race track go for it--after checking with the Park Rangers as to the night driving bit, remembering that funding has not been ample for Park maintenance for a long time.
09/17/2012 09:02:16 AM · #24
Ahh, I see I went overboard with plans as if I was flying out tomorrow, sorry for not being clear! I am already dreaming about standing in a wide open area, complete silence, darkness and stars and the exciting drive back.

I will confirm with the Park Rangers before the trip, thanks for the suggestion.

09/17/2012 10:27:46 AM · #25
Originally posted by vikas:

Ahh, I see I went overboard with plans as if I was flying out tomorrow, sorry for not being clear!


I actually thought you were IN Las Vegas and had spontaneously decided to extend the trip an extra day-and-a-half. I thought you were being wildly impromptu and adventuresome. :-)
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