Valley of Fire State Park Sunset

[DHaass]

Just returned from Las Vegas, Nevada. I always make a trip to Valley of Fire State Park when I'm out there. I have one location that I shoot for sunset. I can shoot both directions (east & west) and usually get something in either direction.

If you have never been there your first trip can be frustrating. The sun drops behind the mountains pretty fast. Depending on where you are in the park it can still be pretty much short of the actual sunset, so the light may not be nice at that location. By the time you find a spot it's too late. After a few trips you tend to remember where the best opportunities for sunset are located.

Anyway, this location is just after Rainbow Vista, maybe 1/8 to 1/4 mile north of it. Rainbow Vista is pretty nice too. As you come through the park on the scenic drive you will see the Visitor's Center on the north side of the road. There is another scenic drive that runs to the west and north of the Visitor's Center. That's where this shooting location can be found.

It's a small ridge or overlook in the bend of the road that allows you to get high enough to catch the fading sun at its lowest point before falling behind the distant mountain range. If you are lucky, as I was, you will have the rare chance of clouds for the light to dance across as the sun sets in the west. I'm facing east in this shot.

[TxPhotoShooter]

Very interesting photo Doug. It looks like a hellish of a place. I like it.

[auddii]

Beautiful shot!

[onewingedangel73106]

Absolutely awesome picture I love the location and you have captured the color so well even in the rocks that I could see why it is called Valley of Fire :)

[groovyone]

Impressive! I was there a few years back but it was terrible mid-day lighting. I knew it would look so much better with the right timing!

[DHaass]

Thanks for your comments. Other than the German couple who followed me to this ridge, there was no one around. All you could hear was the wind. All else was eerily quiet.

[groovyone]

It was like that when we went too. No one around.

[DHaass]

Originally Posted by groovyone

Impressive! I was there a few years back but it was terrible mid-day lighting. I knew it would look so much better with the right timing!

Mid-day would be a bust. Pretty harsh conditions at that time. My shot would have been a bust if not for the clouds.

[groovyone]

Yeah, it was awful. Didn't help that I only had my SLR for a month and had a really crappy CPL.

[Stargazer77517]

Very cool Doug, the clouds make the shot.

[ifly223]

Great colors!!! Wasn't that area under water a few million years ago?