Landscape Photos of Utah |
| Utah has some of the most dramatic scenery in the USA. A number of the country's most beautiful national parks are there, including Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, and Canyonlands, which are scattered across the entire southern width of the state. In addition to these spectacular national parks, Utah has scenic destinations that are separate and distinct from the national parks, but are themselves becoming famous for their natural beauty. These include places like "The Wave", an area becoming increasingly famous for its spectacular sandstone formations. The Wave is one small portion of the larger, beautiful area known as Coyote Buttes. Coyote Buttes is also home to Buckskin Gulch, thought to be the longest slot canyon in the world. | In addition to these scenic locations with beautiful landscapes, Utah has beautiful state parks such as Snow Canyon and Coral Pink Sand Dunes. This photo gallery of Utah has photos from all of these locations. If you're interested in exploring the natural beauty of Utah, I'd recommend any of Michael Kelsey's several books on the canyons of Utah. One of these is "Hiking and Exploring the Paria River". Larger versions of these photos can be viewed by using a mouse rollover or by using the Slideshow below. The following link can be used to add this page to your favorites. |
| Bryce Canyon | Buckskin Gulch | Coyote Buttes | Snow Canyon | The Toadstools | The Wave | Zion |
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Coyote Buttes #0381 Coyote Buttes is a remote but beautiful area near the border of Arizona and Utah. It is a section of the Paria River Canyon and the Vermillion Cliffs Recreation Area that is full of amazing sandstone scenery. |
The Wave #0367 Coyote Buttes is located south of Highway 89 about half way between Kanab, UT and Page, AZ. |
Coyote Buttes #0342 Some of the interesting color and texture of the sandstone formations of Coyote Buttes. |
The Wave #0368 |
The Wave #0370 |
The Wave #0378 |
Coyote Buttes #250 Throughout Coyote Buttes there aren't really specific hiking trails. And this is as it should be because the area is so beautiful, it's best to just wander and explore and discover all of the nooks and crannies of colorful, textured, and wonderfully shaped sandstone. |
Coyote Buttes #3 Coyote Buttes is a remote but beautiful area that spans the border between Utah and Arizona. It's in a section of the Paria River Canyon and the Vermillion Cliffs Recreation area that is full of amazing sandstone scenery. |
Buckskin Gulch #51 In some parts of Buckskin Gulch, the walls of this slot canyon are closer together than the width of an adult's shoulders, requiring hikers to move through sideways. |
Coyote Buttes #17 Coyote Buttes is full of beautifully colored, striated and textured sandstone. |
Coyote Buttes #4 In the early spring, the arid region known as Coyote Buttes comes alive with beautiful wildflowers. |
Artists Palette There is an area inside of Coyote Buttes known as "The Wave". This name comes from the wavy shapes of sandstone walls that look almost like breaking surf on an ocean beach. |
Streaks in Stone There are no trails in this part of Coyote Buttes. But if you took a beeline from the nearest parking area directly to The Wave, you'd hike about 3 to 3.5 miles one way. If you hiked to The Wave in this fashion you'd certainly see a lot of amazing scenery. But you'd miss a lot, too. This is an area that deserves being explored. |
Swirling Stone Coyote Buttes is a bit like a fascinating maze of sandstone hills, mounds, and fins. |
Waves of Stone The Wave is both a photographer's dream and nightmare. The range of textures, colors, and shapes of sandstone here is phenomenal. Every camera angle seems worthy of a photograph. Getting correct photographic white balance to produce a photo that accurately displays the reality of The Wave is a challenge. Just take a look at the many photographs posted on websites and you'll see a range of colors spanning the gamut from bland to gawdy, from orange to red to yellow - and these for the same locations! |
The Wave #259 Using a GPS to navigate within the maze that is Coyote Buttes is helpful in getting near The Wave. But it's often of little value in actually finding it. It is entirely possible to be within a hundred meters of The Wave and not know hot to actually get to it. But once you've found it, it's straightforward to find it again. The difficulty is finding yourself on the wrong level of the surrounding rocks. You can hit deadend dropoffs while walking on a fin, or run into deadend walls while hiking between them. |
Buckskin Gulch This is a photograph of Buckskin Gulch in Coyote Buttes - in a remote area along the Arizona and Utah border. |
Buckskin Gulch #50 Always check the weather forecast before hiking into Buckskin Gulch. This slot canyon can be deadly due to flash floods after a rainfall that takes place even when miles away. |
Buckskin Gulch #52 No technical climbing skills or experience are necessary to enjoy the beauty of Buckskin Gulch. It's possible to walk to it and through it without relying upon ropes or rappelling. |
Buckskin Gulch #53 Buckskin Gulch is thought to be the longest slot canyon in the world. Slot canyons are little more than narrow crevices through stone mountains. Many slot canyons, Buckskin Gulch included, are susceptible to flash floods that make them very dangerous places after a rain. But these flash floods contribute to the beauty of such places - sculpting the walls of the canyon into interesting and beautiful shapes. |
Buckskin Gulch #44 Buckskin Gulch is located in Coyote Buttes. It's an easy and interesting hike to go through some of Buckskin Gulch, but too long for most people to make it through in a single day. |
The Wave #0360 The Wave is an amazing area full of fascinating sandstone formations. |
The Wave #0361 The Wave is located in southern Utah in an area known as Coyote Buttes. |
Coyote Buttes #0402 Coyote Buttes is an area with beautiful scenery. |
The Wave #0362 The Wave is both a photographers dream and nightmare. The range texture, color and shape of sandstone here is phenomenal. Getting correct photographic white balance to produce a photo that accurately reflects reality is a challenge. Every camera angle seems worthy of a photograph. |
The Wave #0366 The surreal scenery of Coyote Buttes North. |
Coyote Buttes #0382 A frozen pool in the semi-desert region of Coyote Buttes. |
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All photographs are the property of Robert Stephens and TheWorldinLight Photographic Gallery. Unauthorized reproduction or use is prohibited by US copyright law. |
