Sunrise View Of Shafer Trail
"Oh wow....that's crazy!", my exact words to my husband after I walked up to the overlook and looked down (way down) at Shafer Trail Viewpoint area in Canyonlands National Park in Utah. He was still walking up the hill and hadn't seen it yet. It wasmesmerizing!
My next line was, "There is no way (I would drive that)!", lol. It's beautiful, but not a road for the faint of heart! Seems as I've gotten older, I've formed a little fear of heights. Something I never really had much of a problem with until the last couple of years. It was dark and before sunrise when we arrived. We got there early to capture a timelapse of the full sunrise (video below), along with photos of twilight, blue hour, and of course gold hour.
You may want to know why as a professional photographer, did I not choose to go to the famous Mesa Arch for my sunrise photo as many photographers do. This is because I'm a photographer that likes to capture different scenes and I prefer it when I'm the only one at a spot knowing no other photographer has captured that same moment at the same location. This location was perfect as my husband and I were the only ones there, so I know there are no other photos out there of this moment. Plus there are 1,000's of images of sunrise from Mesa Arch so I thought this would be different. We did stop by the Mesa Arch in the early afternoon to capture it.
Shafer Trail road is a challenging dirt road of switchbacks that descends 1500 feet down a majestic and massive sandstone cliff! My off angle photos show a little more of the depth. The road is just wide enough for one car but people drive both directions so if you meet a car you have to pull over at a wide point to let the other go by. The cars going up hill have priority so if you're going down, you'll be the one to pull over. They recommend only high-clearance 4WD vehicles with a low range gear (4LO). We got to watch a couple Jeeps drive the road while we were there. I believe these were individuals, but if you want to experience the drive but afraid to drive yourself, there are a few experienced tour companies that can give you that amazing experience of a lifetime.
It was a cloudy morning but there was a hint of haze in the distance which was perfect for a mountain sunrise. There was just enough break in the clouds to allow the golden sunlight to burst through. Through the haze in the distance, you can see the La Sal Mountain range. We were there in early May and it still had some snow on the mountain peaks. Every morning, there was more snow on the mountains then the day before, but it would melt through out the day as the highs would be in the 50's and 60's (a couple days got in the 70's) while we were there. Then it would snow again in the evening and night.
It was a chilly morning when we were there and the wind was crazy and got crazier throughout the day as it swooped through the canyons. That wind did make it a challenge for long exposure photos in the morning so it's a good thing I brought my heavy duty tripod. I'm glad we packed for all weather as they had a cold front in the area making temps about 20 degrees below normal. When traveling to the desert, no matter the time of year, it can be all temps. Even in the summer, the mornings can be chilly.
During sunrise, I walked around the area capturing different angles as each view offered a different perspective. There was one area where there were cool Utah Juniper trees roots right along the edge of the cliff. I love how the trunks of these trees twist around. They can make some really cool shapes and make great subjects or foreground subjects for photos.
If you're planning a visit to Canyonlands National Park, especially during the summer, you'll want to arrive early, or be prepared to wait in line to get into the park. One of the reasons we went in early May was to beat the summer vacation crowd, and to see some snow on the mountains. Even for early may, with the chilly weather and crazy wind, it got pretty busy through out the day. We stopped at the visitor center on our way out in the late afternoon and had to park on the street because the parking was full. There was a long line of cars waiting to get in too. So get there early. Also, the earlier you get there, the more time you'll have to explore this beautiful park.
You'll want to look at the Canyonlands National Park website for any road closings or if they change it to a timed entry system like they currently have at Arches National Park. If it gets busy enough, I can see them adding that to this park. This is where you have to schedule the time you plan to enter the park as they would only allow a certain number of cars per hour to enter. If you don't have a time slot, you'll have to go early before sunrise or in the evening.
Make sure you stop by the Shafer Trail Viewpoint, or the Shafer Trail Overlook (there are 2 spots to view it)! It's a view you'll never forget.
Below is a timelapse video of the sunrise. To see my photos I have uploaded, here's the link: https://5-jennifer-white.pixels.com/art/shafer
Hope you enjoy and hope you get to see this beautiful park with your own eyes. More blogs and videos to come from this trip.
