~ Joy of Photography
The rain this Spring and melting snow from winter made for some spectacular waterfalls in numerous Southern Utah locations this year. I am still editing images but this is another one of my water image favorites.
Continue reading “Many Pools Trail, Zion National Park”
The rain this Spring and melting snow from winter made for some spectacular waterfalls in numerous Southern Utah locations this year. I am still editing images but this is one of my favorites.
Continue reading “Lower Emerald Pools – Zion National Park Waterfall”
This image is of drops of waterfall spray hitting a pool of water at a location named Lower Emerald Pools in Zion National Park.
This location is one the most assessible places in the park.
Continue reading “Splish Splash – Lower Emerald Pool Waterfall Spray Zion National Park”
I finally finished editing Autumn 2021 images but still have many more to post. This one is a return to Lower Emerald Pools one the most assessible places in the park.
Note: There is a lot more detail in the spray on the actual image than the JPEG above. Also conversion to JPEG shifted the blue sky a bit in a manner not true to the image.
Continue reading “Zion National Park – Lower Emerald Pool Waterfall Spray”
This is the third and final post for this second trip on the Zion Subway trail, officially called the “Left Fork” Trail.
It’s a very rugged trail, about 9 miles round trip scrambling over boulders and crossing the river many, many times. The scrambling and length of the trail makes it a difficult hike, much more so than the Narrows trail which I have written about. The first decent and even more so final assent back up is brutally steep. ….
Continue reading “Zion National Park – Left Fork Trail – The Slide”
It’s been a very busy Autumn for me. I was on the road taking pictures from late September through mid-November. I have lots of images to share and just finished editing them all.
Some of my favorites were close by.
I hiked what is known as the “Subway” route, officially called the “Left Fork” Trail. It’s the second time I have done the trip.
It’s a very rugged trail, about 9 miles round trip scrambling over boulders and crossing the river many, many times. The scrambling and length of the trail makes it a difficult hike, much more so than the Narrows trail which I have written about. The first decent and even more so final assent back up is brutally steep. ….
Continue reading “Zion National Park – Left Fork Trail – Subway Entrance”
It’s been a very busy Autumn for me. I was on the road taking pictures from late September through mid-November. I have lots of images to share and just finished editing them all.
Some of my favorites were close by.
I hiked what is known as the “Subway” route, officially called the “Left Fork” Trail. It’s the second time I have done the trip.
It’s a very rugged trail, about 9 miles round trip scrambling over boulders and crossing the river many, many times. The scrambling and length of the trail makes it a difficult hike, much more so than the Narrows trail which I have written about. The first decent and even more so final assent back up is brutally steep. ….
Continue reading “Zion National Park – Left Fork Trail – Subway”
This is Part II of images I took on a June Narrows Hike.
I have hiked the Narrows Trail in Zion National Park 4 times. The other 3 times were in the Fall when you need a wetsuit. This June was my 4th time and everyone in my group was wearing shorts.
The “trail is the Virgin River, literally. The water is mostly ankle to knee deep but in spots can be up to waist deep.
I took a spill in water that was deeper. I carry my camera high in deeper water but fell forward. My camera and lens were totally, and I do mean totally submerged for however long it took me to raise it out of the water. I will guess 1+ second.
I had an R5 with a circular polarizer adapter, and 24-105 L lens. There are about 24 buttons or dials, a flip screen, battery compartment, flash card compartment, and two side panels for various electronic connections.
So what happens to an EOS R5 when it is totally submerged for a second or two?
That is not a question I cared to find the answer to, but I now have the answer.
What happens? Nothing!
I expected a nasty repair bill but thanks to a metal screw cap that I keep on all my lenses, not even the lens got wet. The only leakage I could see was a single drop of water on the front element. As soon as the camera dried off, I tested the camera and it worked fine. It’s still working weeks later.
Kudos to Canon for a clearly a superior job in taking rain resistance to a much higher level. I had a second lens with me in a backpack that was in the water for 20 seconds or so until someone helped me up. That lens may have been ruined but it was in a dry bag as was my iPhone.
Continue reading “Zion Narrows Take IV (Just how Waterproof is Canon’s EOS Mirrorless R5?) Part II”
I have hiked the Narrows Trail in Zion National Park 4 times. The other 3 times were in the Fall when you need a wetsuit. This June was my 4th time and everyone in my group was wearing shorts.
The “trail is the Virgin River, literally. The water is mostly ankle to knee deep but in spots can be up to waist deep.
I took a spill in water that was deeper. I carry my camera high in deeper water but fell forward. My camera and lens were totally, and I do mean totally submerged for however long it took me to raise it out of the water. I will guess 1+ second.
I had an R5 with a circular polarizer adapter, and 24-105 L lens. There are about 24 buttons or dials, a flip screen, battery compartment, flash card compartment, and two side panels for various electronic connections.
So what happens to an EOS R5 when it is totally submerged for a second or two?
That is not a question I cared to find the answer to, but I now have the answer.
What happens? Nothing!
I expected a nasty repair bill but thanks to a metal screw cap that I keep on all my lenses, not even the lens got wet. The only leakage I could see was a single drop of water on the front element. As soon as the camera dried off, I tested the camera and it worked fine. It’s still working weeks later.
Kudos to Canon for a clearly a superior job in taking rain resistance to a much higher level. I had a second lens with me in a backpack that was in the water for 20 seconds or so until someone helped me up. That lens may have been ruined but it was in a dry bag as was my iPhone.
Continue reading “Zion Narrows Take IV (Just how Waterproof is Canon’s EOS Mirrorless R5?)”
Grafton is a ghost town, just south of Zion National Park in Washington County, Utah, United States. Said to be the most photographed ghost town in the West, it has been featured as a location in several films, including 1929’s In Old Arizona—the first talkie filmed outdoors—and the classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The nearest inhabited town is Rockville.
To get to Grafton, you cross the Rockville bridge built for the National Park Service in 1924 to provide a link between Zion National Park and the North Rim area of Grand Canyon National Park.
Image Details
Continue reading “Grafton Ghost Town Cemetery Sunset”
The Rockville Bridge and Grafton Ghost Town are just outside Zion National Park. The bridge was built for the National Park Service in 1924 to provide a link between Zion National Park and the North Rim area of Grand Canyon National Park.
The bridge was designed by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads for the Park Service, fabricated by the Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company, and erected by Ogden contractor C.F. Dinsmore. The bridge spans 217 feet (66 m) in a single span, using a steel twelve-panel Parker through-truss.
The Rockville Bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
Image Details
Continue reading “Full Moon Over Rockville Steel Girder Bridge Near Zion National Park”
The Rockville Bridge and Grafton Ghost Town are just outside Zion National Park. The bridge was built for the National Park Service in 1924 to provide a link between Zion National Park and the North Rim area of Grand Canyon National Park.
The Rockville Bridge is 91 years old now and is showing its age. The Department of Transportation’s inspection of the bridge in 2012 revealed such deterioration that the bridge’s load rating was reduced from 25 to 14 tons and the Town of Rockville was put on notice that “something” needed to be done about the bridge.
Plans were made to put up a new bridge next to the old one but the town objected. In 2016, the Joint Highway Committee allocated $2,500,000 for the Rockville Bridge to be rehabilitated – with the condition that the Town submit a plan for an alternate route for a new road and bridge to cross the Virgin River at another location.
In March of 2017, the Town of Rockville finished raising the matching funds required for the Federal funding of the bridge restoration project. The project is scheduled to get underway in October of 2017.
The preceding three paragraphs are slightly modified excerpts from The Rockford Bridge Organization. The organization has a photo tour.
Continue reading “Rockville Bridge Milky Way and Grafton Ghost Town”
Clear creek runs parallel to the road through Zion in many places.
For the images in this article, I parked in designated but unnamed parking spots and scrambled down to the creek. I did not run into another person but in several places, I did see footprints on occasion.
The water-carved canyon walls are quite impressive and well worth exploring.
Feature Image Details
The light was fading fast but it was nearly calm so there was little movement in the leaves. In retrospect, I should have used a much higher ISO.
ISO 800 would have provided 4 stops of light. 50-100 is one stop, 100-200 is another stop, 200-400 is the third stop, and 400-800 is the 4th stop.
Each stop doubles or halves the exposure time. Instead of 8 seconds, my exposure would have been 1/2 second.
To achieve the depth of field in the images, I used a technique called focus stacking. I focused on the wall in one image and the background in another. Two images are generally insufficient for focus stacking but that is all I took.
One can combine the images manually or use a program like “Zerene Stacker“. I was forced to do a manual combination as I accidentally shifted the camera slightly between images and they did not line up.
Thus, I made a lot of mistakes, but I am pleased with the final result.
Additional Clear Creek Image
Scrambling Tips
The key to these images is easy: Get off the beaten path and explore!
There is nothing difficult about the preceding image other than scrambling down the hillside with no marked trail to get to the creek bed. I took the above image about 15 minutes before the feature image.
I almost stopped at that point because the light was fading fast but an inner voice said look around the next bend. The result was one of my favorite images from the trip.
When you are off the trail, please look around you in all directions even if you have a Garmin or other tracking device. It’s important to know how to get back out, whether or not your tracking device fails.
I frequently leave cairns for myself. In this case I didn’t because I have an excellent memory for features, even individual rocks. When in doubt, please mark your spot so you know how to get back to your car.
Other Zion National Park Articles
Equipment
Those interested in my equipment and recommendations can find it here: Mish’s Equipment List.
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Mike “Mish” Shedlock
This is the third and final of a series of posts that covers the “Narrows”, a hike whose only trail is the Virgin River itself. Some parts of the hike are relatively open, but other sections are narrow, between water-carved sandstone walls rising over a hundred feet on each side of the river.
In the summer you can hike in shorts, but in November, when we went, a wetsuit is best.
Water carved beautiful shapes in the canyon walls that rise up on both sides you for hundreds of feet.
If you are in or near the narrows in a flash flood, you will not survive as there is no reachable high ground.
Tip List
Feature Image Details
Additional Images
Reflected light is the key images in the Narrows in general. There is no sunlight on the water or the canyon walls. Rather the light hits one canyon wall and bounces off it providing a glow everywhere else.
I used a polarizer on this image as I did every image in the Narrows.
Moving Water
There is no tripod movement if you are braced on hard rock. But in the water, currents can vibrate the tripod resulting in an image that looks nice on the playback screen but is actually a little soft.
In this particular area, I ruined a lot of images and could not figure out why until much later.
If I am in the narrows again, I will take a much faster image of the walls at a higher ISO then a slower image to get the water the way I like.
Gear
We rented wetsuits, hiking poles, and shoes suitable for river hiking.
For an image of the rental gear you will need, please see link #9 below. There are numerous places just outside the park to rent equipment.
I only took two lenses with me: A Canon 16-35MM F4 L Lens and a Canon 24-105MM F4 L Lens. Add a polarizer and a tripod (the latter is a necessity), and that is all you will need. If you are in the canyon and you think you need a flash, you are shooting in the wrong light.
I saw people carrying massive telephoto lenses and I was constantly wondering “What they hell do they need those lenses for?”
The hike is not strenuous if the water level is low. If the water level is high and fast, they close the hike. There is no elevation change but you are hiking in the river, against the current on the way in.
Relatively speaking, I found the upper Emerald Pools Trail more difficult than the Narrows, but we were fortunate to have easy conditions. The rental places and the park visitor center can assist if you have questions.
Other Zion National Park Images
Equipment
Those interested in my equipment and recommendations can find it here: Mish’s Equipment List.
Please Share!
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Mike “Mish” Shedlock
This is the second in a series of posts that covers the “Narrows”, a hike whose only trail is the Virgin River itself. Some parts of the hike are relatively open, but other sections are narrow, between water-carved sandstone walls rising over a hundred feet on each side of the river.
In the summer you can hike in shorts, but in November, when we went, a wetsuit is best.
The feature image is the classic view of the narrows. Water carved beautiful shapes in the canyon walls that rise up on both sides you for hundreds of feet.
If you are in or near the narrows in a flash flood, you will not survive as there is no reachable high ground.
Feature Image Details
Reflected light is the key to this image, and images in the Narrows in general. There is no sunlight on the water or the canyon walls. Rather the light hits one canyon wall and bounces off it providing a glow everywhere else.
I used a polarizer on this image as I did every image in the Narrows.
Additional images near this location.
Exposure Tip
There is no tripod movement if you are braced on hard rock. But in the water, currents can vibrate the tripod resulting in an image that looks nice on the playback screen but is actually a little soft.
In this particular area, I ruined a lot of images and could not figure out why until much later.
If I am in the narrows again, I will take a much faster image of the walls at a higher ISO then a slower image to get the water the way I like.
Gear
We rented wetsuits, hiking poles, and shoes suitable for river hiking. For an image of the rental gear you will need, please see link #9 below. There are numerous places just outside the park to rent equipment.
I only took two lenses with me: A Canon 16-35MM F4 L Lens and a Canon 24-105MM F4 L Lens. Add a polarizer and a tripod (the latter is a necessity), and that is all you will need. If you are in the canyon and you think you need a flash, you are shooting in the wrong light.
I saw people carrying massive telephoto lenses and I was constantly wondering “What they hell do they need those lenses for?”
The hike is not strenuous if the water level is low. If the water level is high and fast, they close the hike. There is no elevation change but you are hiking in the river, against the current on the way in.
Relatively speaking, I found the upper Emerald Pools Trail more difficult than the Narrows, but we were fortunate to have easy conditions. The rental places and the park visitor center can assist if you have questions.
Other Zion National Park Images
Equipment
Those interested in my equipment and recommendations can find it here: Mish’s Equipment List.
Please Share!
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Much more coming: Click to Subscribe by Email.
Coming up: More Narrows
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
The premier hikes in Zion National Part are “The Subway” and “The Narrows”. Competition for the Subway is intense and there is a lottery system as explained in my previous posts (links below).
This set of posts covers the “Narrows”, a hike whose only trail is the Virgin River itself. Some parts of the hike are relatively open, but other sections are narrow, between water-carved sandstone walls rising over a hundred feet on each side of the river.
In the summer you can hike in shorts, but in November, when we went, a wetsuit is best. The feature image is just before the narrows. I have more dramatic images coming up, but I like autumn colors and the stream reflections in this image.
Feature Image Details
Reflected light is the key to this image, and images in the Narrows in general. There is no sunlight on the water, the tree or the canyon walls. Rather the light hits one canyon wall and bounces off it providing a glow everywhere else.
I used a polarizer on this image as I did every image in the Narrows.
Many photographers carried cell phones with HDR (High Dynamic Range) programs to see what images would look like before deciding whether or not to taking their cameras out of their dry bags and setup.
It seemed easy enough to me to tell whether or not I liked an image without having to rely on a cell phone app to check.
Narrows Equipment
That’s what hiking the Narrows looks like. I took the image using my tripod and a self-timer: ISO 800, 21mm, F13, 1/5 second.
We rented wetsuits, hiking poles, and shoes suitable for river hiking. In addition, I rented a dry bag for my camera (the gray bag in front of me). Those are full wetsuits. Unless it is really cold, I strongly recommend a half wetsuit. If you have to pee, full wetsuits are more than a minor nuisance.
There are numerous places just outside the park to rent equipment.
On my back is a CamelBak Backpack. CamelBak makes a great hiking pack. The model I have is called HAWG NV. On B&H, the equivalent seems to be the Fourteener 24 22 L Hydration Backpack with 3L Reservoir. This is a wonderfully light pack and it comes with a water hydration system. It is well constructed and I am not worried about leakage. Pick one that meets your needs. In addition to 3 liters of water, the backpack will hold a couple of lenses, batteries, a flashlight, filters, ect., but not large lenses.
I only took two lenses with me: A Canon 16-35MM F4 L Lens and a Canon 24-105MM F4 L Lens. Add a polarizer and a tripod (the latter is a necessity), and that is all you will need. If you are in the canyon and you think you need a flash, you are shooting in the wrong light.
I saw people carrying massive telephoto lenses and I was constantly wondering “What they hell do they need those lenses for?”
The hike is not strenuous if the water level is low. If the water level is high and fast, they close the hike. If a big rainstorm is on the way, you will not survive the narrowest sections.
There is no elevation change but you are hiking in the river, against the current on the way in.
Riverwalk Area
One can take the above image without getting wet.
Relatively speaking, I found the upper Emerald Pools Trail more difficult than the Narrows, but we were fortunate to have easy conditions. The rental places and the park visitor center can assist if you have questions.
Other Zion National Park Images
Equipment
Those interested in my equipment and recommendations can find it here: Mish’s Equipment List.
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Coming up: More Narrows
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
Everyone wants an iconic image of the Watchman. An hour or more before sunset, people line up on a bridge that provides the viewpoint. You will stand shoulder to shoulder, assuming you can find a parking spot and photography spot.
There are white painted lines on the bridge that give each photographer his 24 inches of space or whatever it is. Spots directly over the Virgin River are the most coveted spots. To get a good spot, you may need to be two or more hours early.
Feature Image Details
The guidebooks all say to be on the bridge at sunset. Phooey. I took the feature image in the early afternoon. I had the entire bridge to myself.
There was nothing in the near foreground so F8 was quite adequate. Shortly after I took the above image, the clouds dissipated but the crowds came pouring in.
At sunset, in November, there is no light at all on the cottonwood trees. And if there are no clouds coupled with deep shadows on the trees, there is not much of an image. Nonetheless, nearly every day, people stacked up, waiting hours for a shot could not happen under the existing light.
In such conditions, I suggest doing something else. Anything else. We went hiking on the Emerald Pools trails for the second time rather than fight the crowds.
Other Zion National Park Images
Equipment
Those interested in my equipment and recommendations can find it here: Mish’s Equipment List.
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Coming up: Hiking the Narrows.
The Narrows is a premier hike in Zion, second only to “The Subway” see links 1-3 above.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
The Emerald Pools trail is an easy hike, but what’s easy for Zion might be described as moderate somewhere else. If you had trouble getting to Lower or Middle Emerald Pools, then go no further as the trail to the base of the upper waterfall is steeper and much more of a scramble with some loose rocks.
Feature Image Details
Middle Emerald does not have much of a waterfall, but it does pool water that can make for a very nice reflection on occasion. However, there are chains to deal with and the water was a bit brackish so I passed up the reflection shot for the one shown above.
Lower and Upper Emerald Pools
The image below shows the Lower and Emerald Pools waterfalls from roughly the Middle Emerald Pools elevation. The water was not flowing heavily for this image.
I did not find the Upper Emerald Pools waterfall that photogenic from close up, and have no images to offer. It’s a nice hike and a powerful waterfall with lots of spray, but I do not think I even attempted an image. If pressed for time, my experience says skip it. If you are looking for a nice hike, go for it.
Other Zion National Park Images
Coming up: The Watchman, then Hiking the Narrows.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
The Emerald Pools trail is an easy hike, but it is uphill to the falls (assuming there is any water flowing). What’s easy for Zion might be described as moderate somewhere else.
During our stay we hiked the Emerald Pools trail several times. On our last hike there was much more water flowing but many leaves had fallen off. These images were after a rainstorm.
Feature Image Details
Using ISO 50 on Canon is a mistake that I was unaware of on the Zion trip. ISO 50 can make shadow details a bit worse. If wind and other conditions permit, ISO 100 is the best choice.
The feature image is a set of several images combined in a manual HDR process using luminosity masks and curves. I cannot say I recommend the procedure as it takes a long time to master. Luminosity masks are very complex to setup for the casual user.
Lightroom has HDR merge, but it did not do a good job on this image. There are HDR programs for a Mac that are highly acclaimed. They will be available for a PC this Autumn.
The software tools use luminosity masks so you do not need to learn them directly.
Starburst Explanation
It is easy to produce a natural looking starburst without filters by positioning the sun on the edge of an object. The star is caused by light bending around the diaphragm blades of the lens.
In this case, I positioned the sun right on the edge of the cliff. One can use a tree branch, edge of a building or any other suitable object.
Some lenses produce better starbursts than other. The 9-bladed Canon 16-35 MM lens produces an exceptional star. Canon’s 14 MM lens only has 4 blades and produces a relatively poor star.
An even number of diaphragm blades provides that many rays. An odd number provides double.
Additional Lower Emerald Pool Image
Other Zion National Park Images
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
Hiking and exploring opportunities in Zion National Park Utah are nearly endless. My favorite time of year is Autumn. I recommend staying in the park lodge, but don’t try to book at the last moment.
Before your trip, the first thing you should do is pick up Joe’s Guide to Zion National Park. It’s free. Joe describes all the major trails and offers recommended hikes.
The Emerald Pools trail is an easy hike, but it is uphill to the falls (assuming there is any water flowing). What’s easy for Zion might be described as moderate somewhere else.
During our stay we hiked the Emerald Pools trail several times. On our last hike there was much more water flowing but many leaves had fallen off. These images were before the rainstorm.
Feature Image Details
Additional Lower Emerald Pool Image
Other Zion National Park Images
Equipment List
Those interested in my equipment and recommendations can find it here: Mish’s Equipment List.
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Mike “Mish” Shedlock
The first major stop on the Subway Trek is Archangel Falls, covered in part 1 of the Subway trek. Moving upstream, one comes up to a flat area where flowing water carved a deep crack in an otherwise flat surface. The second area is known and “The Crack” and was covered in part 2.
This set of images is from inside the Subway.
Feature Image Details
The key to this image is reflected light. In fact, that is the key to all the images in the subway series. Direct sunlight would ruin any of the shots.
There is no direct light in the subway, but you do need strong sun and no clouds to have light bouncing off the canyon walls to light up the subways walls. Noon, normally an awful time for photography, is perfect for the subway (at least it was in November when we went on the trek).
Polarizers help intensify the colors. They also increase the shutter speed, a very desirable effect to enhance the swirls.
Hike Comments
The subway hike is 6.5 miles round-trip and is rated strenuous. I would rate it moderately-strenuous. The elevation change is mostly gradual except for a steep 600-foot change at the beginning (down) and end (up).
For comparison purposes, I would rate Angel’s Landing with a 1500 foot elevation change as strenuous. Yet, the Subway requires scrambling and the trail is very slippery in spots. I fell twice and one person slipped into the pool at the Subway (it’s deep). Get or rent a pair of shoes suitable for wet slippery conditions. The outfitters near the park can help.
Mark your entry/exit spot with GPS, by time, or both. There is no clear path to the end of the Subway trail. Two hikers we came across were convinced they passed the exit spot. They were going to scramble up loose rocks to the top. They were convinced their car was at the gap at the top. I talked them out of it.
It is better to be lost on the main route than lost where only a search party may find you. It turns out, they were a mile away from the path up.
Lens Selection
If I had to pick two general purpose lenses, the 16-35 and the 24-105 would be clear standouts. Those were the only two lenses I had with me for this 6.5 mile hike.
Reduce weight and hike happier!
Since there is overlap, I would prefer the second lens to be 35-135 or 35-150 instead of 24-105. Canon does not make my preferred choice.
Equipment
Those interested in my equipment and recommendations can find it here: Mish’s Equipment List.
Second Subway Image
Notice the flowing water next to the wall on the upward slope. That area is extremely slippery. One person took a plunge. The waterfall and the cascade in opposite directions show the source of the beautiful swirls.
What Could I have Done Better?
I always ask myself “What could I have done better”. In this case, I should have used a longer exposure. Most of my images showed few swirl patterns that I like, but these images did have nice swirls. A longer exposure would have been much better. Somewhere between 30 seconds and a minute would likely have been ideal.
A problem with anything over 30 seconds involves “sharing”. About 5-6 people can take the first image without getting into each other’s way, but precisely one person fits in the spot immediately above. Also, the above image requires others to back off. You cannot exactly ask six people to back off while you take a 2-minute exposure.
I got the image when a cloud passed overhead, the light vanished, and most of the people left. The light came back out and there were only a few of us still inside the subway. The others did back out for the time it took to get the image.
The waterfall shot was at 16mm. 14mm would have captured more of the subway walls. But 14mm would have been too wide, making it very hard for people to get out of the way. Also, you cannot use a polarizer or filters of any kind, other than gel filters in the rear, with the Canon 14MM F2.8 L Lens.
More Subway Images
For more information regarding the “Subway Trek” and a nice shot of Archangel Falls as well, please see Zion National Park – Subway Trek Part One – Archangel Falls
Also, see Zion National Park – Subway Trek Part Two – The Crack
Equipment List
Those interested in my equipment and recommendations can find it here: Mish’s Equipment List.
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If you like this article, please share by email or use one of the share buttons beneath the article.
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MishMoments is a subset of MishGEA. Those interested in photography only should follow MishMoments.
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Mike “Mish” Shedlock
The “Subway” is the premier hike in Zion National Park.
The route is not suitable for masses of photographers all vying for the same spot at the same time. The park’s solution is a lottery system and competition for slots is very high.
We went in the second week in November. Starting in November there may be openings without having to use the lottery system. That was the case for us. As an added bonus on our trip, Autumn was a week late so our timing was perfect.
Feature Image Details
Here is the image from the lottery link above.
Yikes!
The light is clearly better in my shot but that is not my key point. Notice the viewpoint angle. I was very low and very close to the waterfall, no more than a foot away. I was also inches above the river bed. In the group I was with, the photographers were all standing up, taking pictures at eye level. Their perspective was similar to that in the brochure.
Also, instead of standing mid-stream, I stood way to the left as that was the prettiest rock formation. Finally, a long exposure (3.2 seconds) provides a nice smooth flow to the water.
Joe’s Guide
Before your trip, the first thing you should do is pick up Joe’s Guide to Zion National Park. It’s free. Joe describes all the major trails and offers recommended hikes including information on the Subway.
Hike Comments
The subway hike is 6.5 miles round-trip and is rated strenuous. I would rate it moderately-strenuous. The elevation change is mostly gradual except for a steep 600-foot change at the beginning (down) and end (up).
For comparison purposes, I would rate Angel’s Landing with a 1500 foot elevation change as strenuous. Yet, the Subway requires scrambling and the trail is very slippery in spots. I fell twice and one person slipped into the pool at the Subway (it’s deep). Get or rent a pair of shoes suitable for wet slippery conditions. The outfitters near the park can help.
Mark your entry/exit spot with GPS, by time, or both. There is no clear path to the end of the Subway trail. Two hikers we came across were convinced they passed the exit spot. They were going to scramble up loose rocks to the top. They were convinced their car was at the gap at the top. I talked them out of it.
It is better to be lost on the main route than lost where only a search party may find you. It turns out, they were a mile away from the path up.
Light Tips
To get the best images, be at the trailhead before dawn and set out as soon as you can see, if not before (using headlamps). Once the sun hits the waterfalls the best light is gone. Reflected light is best. Strong reflected light is required for a great shot in the Subway itself.
Equipment
Those interested in my equipment and recommendations can find it here: Mish’s Equipment List.
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Next up “The Crack”
Mike “Mish” Shedlock