Tag: Sunset

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Spirit of the Southwest

Saguaro cactus at sunset, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona USA (© Russ Bishop/www.russbishop.com)
Saguaro cactus at sunset, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona

The American Southwest is known the world over for its unique environment and cultural significance. It’s plants and animals are exotic by any standard and, combined with thousands of years of Native American history, it has all the elements for truly great photography. Spring is one of the best times to visit when the temperatures are mild and vibrant wildflower displays and the occasional lightning storm provide a dramatic backdrop for stellar image making.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on the Mexican border in southern Arizona, is one of the least visited units of the National Park system. The unique namesake cactus (found only in this remote section of the United States) and the iconic saguaro dominate this other-worldly landscape where sunsets seem to last forever.

Further east on the outskirts of Tucson, Saguaro National Park is rich in native american history and desert flora. Two units separated by the city, the Tucson Mountain District to the west and the Rincon Mountain District to the east, provide two distinct environments. Signal Hill in the Tucson Mountain District includes hundreds of ancient petroglyphs surrounded by dense saguaro forests and wonderful views of the local mountains. The Rincon Mountain District to the east is a desert sky island home to cougars, bears, and the elusive coati.

Crossing the border into New Mexico, White Sands National Monument is another visual experience that is not to be missed. Set on the edge of the vast Tularosa Basin, it is one of the largest deposits of pure gypsum sand in the world. The shifting sands are an active dune field – constantly moving from west to east at a rate of thirty feet per year and creating wonderful patterns in the process. And as the sun goes down the shapes and forms of this ever-evolving landscape are illuminated by a special quality of light found nowhere else.

This is just a sampling of what the Southwest has to offer. But if you’re looking to leave the world behind and immerse yourself in spectacular scenery that will clear your senses and inspire your creativity, you don’t have to go to Iceland or Namibia – it’s all right here.

©Russ Bishop/All Rights Reserved

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Government Shutdown Alternatives

Cypress Tree at sunset, Point Lobos State Reserve, Carmel, California
Cypress Tree at sunset, Point Lobos State Reserve, Carmel, California

It’s unfortunate that this week our government here in the US has closed its doors, especially for those who had travel plans to visit our wonderful national parks. But all is not lost as there are many beautiful locations in state parks, wilderness, and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) areas around the country that are open and often free of charge.

In California, a few of the standouts include Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (the largest in California and second largest in the country). Northeast of San Diego, this sprawling wilderness park offers endless hiking and photographic potential in a remote setting of cactus covered hillsides and palm oasis. With Borrego Springs as your base, you can enjoy day hikes from numerous lodging options in town, or wilderness camp for free under a star-filled sky and not see a soul for days.

Point Lobos State Reserve near Monterey, Garrapata and Limekiln State Parks (all on the Big Sur Coast), provide some of the best views on the California coast. Limekiln includes coastal access and camping and trails through a primeval forest of old growth redwoods and crystal clear streams. Garrapata is a rugged, undeveloped park adjacent to Highway 1 offering quiet coves, sea arches, and stunning views of the Pacific.

Further north, Point Lobos State Reserve, which was a local haunt of Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, is part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. It’s wind-swept shores of rare Monterey cypress are a diver’s paradise and a great place to watch migrating whales and sea otters – and the sunsets can be truly spectacular. Other excellent spots in the area include Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and Sand Dollar Beach in the Los Padres National Forest. On the east side of the state along Highway 395 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Alabama Hills under Mount Whitney are a vast moon-scape of giant boulders and arches made famous in early Hollywood movies and a wonderful photographic destination.

So while the politicians in Washington try to see eye to eye, those who had planned to visit America’s best idea don’t have to feel short-changed. There’s still plenty of natural beauty waiting to be explored outside the confines of the National Park System.

©Russ Bishop/All Rights Reserved