One can find some interesting locations while exploring the American West. I was resting in front of this phenomenal rock formation outside of the Valley of Fire allowing my imagination to run free. I stared deeply at the formation and began creating the story... an enormous curled up dragon was waking up from his deep slumber. He was fuming smoke as he was coming back to life before stretching out his wings and heading out for his nightly adventures… I love creating stories and seeing what is not apparent in nature's beautiful forms. If you are a creative and won’t let your imagination loose to roam, how will you create something new and wonderful?
Outside Looking in the Valley of Fire State Park
An early morning view into the Valley of Fire State Park in southern Nevada. A cool time to get a panorama of the park from it's south-west corner.
The Castle at Capitol Reef
One of the wonderful National Parks found in the West. A majestic view of Capitol Reef from Panorama Point.
Colorado Traildog and his Sidekick
Working our modeling poses above 13,000 feet. We are striking the "Rocky Mountain High" pose for this photo. It is tough to look this awesome after hiking to the summit of a Colorado Peak.
Winding Road in Valley of Fire
One of the main features in Valley of Fire is the road winding through the wonderful rock formations. This is the main road looking south into the heart of the park.
White Sandstone at Valley of Fire
Beautiful white sandstone distinctly contrasts with the red aztec sandstone at Valley of Fire in southern Nevada. The rich colors and textures make for a tasty treat for my eyes.
Red Rock Formations in Valley of Fire
The beautiful red rock formations are surrounding us for as far as the eye can see.
White Leading to Red
Beautiful white rock formations leading to Aztec Sandstone in the Valley of Fire. These formations were exposed where older rocks of Cambrian age (about 500 million years old) were pushed sideways on a thrust fault over younger rocks (Jurassic, about 160 million years old) of the Aztec Sandstone. The sandstone was originally laid down in a colossal, long-lived sandy desert much like today's Sahara. Before the area was a dry desert, it was an inland sea. The red color is from the presence of iron oxides in the sand.
The Dinosaurs Back
The beautiful red and white sandstone mixture in Valley of Fire Park in Nevada is awesome to witness in the golden hour. So many rock formations that wow the visitors. A desert landscape photographer's dream.
Traildog on Aztec Sandstone
Teig on a Sandstone outcrop in the Valley of Fire State Park in Southern Nevada. This park is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts... even pups.
The Cabins in Valley of Fire
These are "The Cabins" in Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park. Three small rooms were built from the local sandstone in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), who did a lot of similar work in the parks and remote regions of the country during the Great Depression (“make work” projects, like trail and road construction). These cabins were used by travelers for camping stays in Valley of the Fire, but have been abandoned.
Valley of Fire Northern Vistas
The strong red sandstone formations in the Valley of Fire State Park in Southern Nevada. The Valley of Fire derives its name from red sandstone formations, believed to be the remains of a huge 150,000 square mile desert which existed in this region from about 192 to 178 million years ago.
Traildog Sauntering to Fisher Towers
It was a fantastic view hiking up to Fisher Towers outside of Moab, Utah. The Fisher Towers contains layers of sedimentary rock in various shades of red-brown, red-purple, and maroon. The colors are a result of varying amounts of hematite (an iron oxide).
Red Sandstone Formation at Valley of Fire
Teig and I were exploring off-trail in the Valley of fire State Park in Southern Nevada. The red rock formations are beautiful even in full winter sun. The bright red Aztec sandstone is from the Jurassic period and is the remnant of the sand left behind by the wind after inland seas subsided and the land rose.
Mt. Wilson through the Joshua Trees
Teig and I made an excursion trip to Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. We were thrilled we made that choice. The mountains there are exquisite with bright red and orange faces on the sheer cliffs. I was surprised to see these mountains a stones throw from Vegas. I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to get a photo of Mt. Wilson through the Joshua Trees… I do love colorful mountain faces and Joshua Trees!