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LOCATIONS |
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Vista Las Vegas
Red Rock
Canyon National Conservation Area
This Bureau of Land Management (BLM) area has long been an
outlet for me when traveling to Las Vegas. It’s only
17 miles from the Strip, where all the casinos lurk, and offers
a variety of landscapes, from desert to mountain, and even
features waterfalls. Wildflowers bloom in the spring, and
it’s habitat to a range of Mojave Desert wildlife. When
the press of people at a big trade show becomes too much,
I know I can quickly reach Red Rock Canyon.
While it used to be a short drive, time-wise, from the center
of Las Vegas, exploding growth in the city has made traffic
somewhat troublesome at times. For early-morning shoots, traffic
isn’t a problem, but you need to give yourself more time
for evenings. The main area opens at 6 a.m. and closes at
different times, depending on the season—winter’s
short days versus summer’s long days (check the Website
for exact times). State Route 159 cuts through a section of
the area and you can drive it at any time.
You can reach Red Rock Canyon by heading due west on West
Charleston Boulevard (which is SR 159) from the main parts
of Las Vegas. As you approach the canyon, you’ll see
large areas of red rock in the distance, along with the Spring
Mountains covering the horizon. Photographing from near the
highway can be productive with a long lens at sunrise (use
the side roads and pull-off areas; this can be a very busy
road, so be careful).
Located off of SR 159, the Scenic Drive is a 13-mile, one-way
road that has a 1,000-foot elevation change. Popular areas
such as the Calico Hills (or La Madre Mountains) and the Sandstone
Quarry area provide special photo spots, but can become crowded.
Red Rock Canyon has enough variety and trails that you can
find solitude even on the free-pass days when the place is
mobbed. You’ll find fewer visitors when the park first
opens in the morning and late in the day.
The east side of the drive, Calico Hills through the Sandstone
Quarry, is mostly an afternoon and evening location, as the
light doesn’t hit the rocks in the early morning. Because
of the convoluted nature of the rock formations in this area,
there’s good photography through most of the afternoon,
since you can always find rock faces with strong sidelight
to bring out the texture. Bring a polarizer to intensify the
rock and sky color.
The west side of the drive, from the High Point Overlook to
Oak Creek Canyon, offers some very rocky mountain scenes to
photograph. An excellent early-morning location, you’ll
find streams up in the canyons with small waterfalls. The
rocks are dramatic here, and again, a polarizer helps. There
can be some fall color with aspens, plus there are cholla
and other cactus that look dramatic with backlight. You might
even spot the wild burros that roam this part of the canyon
(don’t feed them, though, and watch out for them on the
highways).
The visitor center is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, and is
the place to get the latest information on wildflowers, waterfall
conditions, snow and wildlife. Traveling the Scenic Drive
requires an entry fee of $5 per car (if you bike or hike,
there’s no charge), and the national Golden Eagle Pass
is recognized.
Valley Of
Fire State Park
About 50 miles north of Las Vegas off of I-95 (exit 75; take
SR 169 at Crystal), Valley of Fire State Park includes some
of the red rock seen in Red Rock Canyon, but here the rock
is twisted, eroded and altered in so many different forms
that you’d swear you’ve entered a book by Dr. Seuss.
It’s easy to become entranced by the the arches and textured
faces of the rock formations seen when you first enter the
area, such as those in the Atlatl Campground area or the Beehives.
Don’t forget your polarizer and a good pair of hiking
shoes. Some of the arches are quite small, so bring a wide-angle
lens and get in close (you may have to do a little scrambling
over the rocks).
The Beehives are aptly named and offer some spectacular rock
shapes. A popular area, photography can be difficult, particularly
right by the parking area, but usually you can walk a short
distance and find people-less compositions. However, it can
be a real kick to see folks in a hurry jump out of their cars,
stand in front of a rock formation for the requisite photo,
then jump back in the car to hurtle back to the gaming tables
in Las Vegas. What an odd way to appreciate our world!
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