Great Photography Spots In Vermillion Cliffs National Monument

Fantastic lunar landscape of the Wave, in the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, located in both Utah and Arizona. Story & Photography by Jerry Ginsberg. Although the four states that comprise the great Southwest (New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah) contain a combined total of thirteen national parks, this vast area has so much spectacular natural beauty that all of it could not possibly be contained within these parks.

Hiking in the Paria The Wirepass trailhead is reached by driving west from Page, AZ or east from Kanab, UT on Route 89 to House Rock Road. Turn south and go approximately 8-8.5 miles down House Rock Road to the parking area on the right. Walk across the tiny road, go down into the dry wash and turn left. If you stay in the wash until the 'T' intersection at a high rock wall and then turn right, you will be going down into famed Buckskin Gulch. This is a wonderful narrow slot canyon which can be prone to flash flooding, so be very careful about checking the weather forecast for any possibility of rain anywhere in the area. For the best photography in a slot canyon such as this, you'll need a bright, sunny day anyway, so staying away on a cloudy day means that you are not missing out on making good images. Wave Pool Reflection: As you enter the Wave area, this slight depression in the rock is before you. On rare occasions, it can fill with rain water. Carrying in an extra liter will ensure seeing this reflection.