August was a hectic month for my wife and I. With family visiting for most of the month, it was difficult to find time to photograph. During the middle of the month my cousin Paul came to visit and I took him into the Utah desert to experience what makes it special.
Our first stop was Capital Reef National Park. This park is often passed by for the more popular parks in the state. Because it is less travelled, it makes for a great place to truly experience the landscape’s ruggedness and remoteness. On day one we hiked a six mile canyon in the heart of the park. It was amazing to see water flowing strong even though it was the middle of summer. What was even more amazing was the fact that we only saw one other family along the whole section of canyon.
© Andrew Lockwood 2019
© Andrew Lockwood 2019
After our hike through the canyon, we headed out to the Cainville Badlands for the evening to experience the desert silence. Upon arrival we had the entire landscape for as far as the eye could see to ourselves and it remained that way until we left. We set up camp and reminisced about college while waiting for the evening to fade to darkness. The next morning we arose to perfect conditions overlooking the otherworldly landscape and I manage to wake Paul in time to witness it. In complete silence we sat as the sun began to illuminate the area.
© Andrew Lockwood 2019
After the sun was well on its way to the height of its ascent we packed up camp and left this special place behind. Our last stop was Goblin Valley State Park, a place I’ve visited many times. I did not take any images but it was fun hiking through the surreal landscape of small goblin-like rock formations as the day went on. The next morning we packed up and headed back to Salt Lake City in order for me to prepare for my Glacier National Park Trip.
Come back next week to learn what it’s like being in Glacier as a photographer who’s on vacation with family. Thanks for reading!
If you are in need of a 2020 calendar, check mine out here.
It is full of beautiful images from around the US, with stories about each image. They make great gifts as well!