Day 16: (Wednesday 9/24/25), Canyonland National Park

Posted on by
Reply

Day 16: (Wednesday 9/24/25), Canyonland National Park & the Arches NP.

Slept in, went shopping in the little downtown of Moab, had a great lunch, took the leftovers back to the camper.  One of the locals I was talking too, told me if I wanted a sunrise through an arch, is happening NOW at Mesa Arch. We grabbed the dogs and headed out to explore Canyonland National Park.  We have to be out of the current campground by 11:00 am tomorrow.  So, I am going to try and catch “The Shot” in the morning, bust butt back here to get on the road by 11:00 to get to outside Denver and setup before dark.  I decided I like the red rock mountains that stick up, better than the canyons.  Photos do not do either any justice, and should really be experienced in real life.

 

Canyonland National Park

Arches National Park

An Attempt at some lens flare plus landscape all in one.  Didn’t quite pull it off.  

Getting up early and going after the sunrise photo through Mesa Arch, then onto Denver.

Enjoy the photos and what you read? Please subscribe to be notified of future posts via email by either clicking the Follow button at the bottom or the Subscribe section on the right.

Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 15: (Tuesday 9/23/25), The Arches National Park

Posted on by
Reply

Day 14: (Monday 9/22/25), Grand Tetons to Salt Lake City, UT (half way to Moab UT). No Photos

Day 15: (Tuesday 9/23/25), Brigham, UT to Moab UT, & The Arches National Park

We spent Monday night at Love’s truck stop and didn’t even unhook the truck.  Had Subway for dinner, since it was inside the Love’s. Slept well, then up an at it again Tuesday morning to get to Moab UT.  I had timed entry stamp for 3:00 – 4:00 PM.  We set camper up, walked the dogs and left for The Arches National Park and was at the gate by 3:08 pm.  Drove to the delicate Arch outlook which had a short uphill hike of a half mile.  I was super proud of Sharon as she knocked that one out.  I shot the arch with my 100-500mm at 500mm.  The entire purpose of this part of the trip was to get the sunset or sunrise inside the arch.  We drove to the trailhead for the climb to the Arch.  Sharon stated she wasn’t into it and would wait in the car.  1.5 miles to the arch with 600 feet of vertical climb.  I was watching my Apple watch and did it in 46 minutes, and always kept my heart rate under 150.  When it would get close to 145, I would slow down.  Only took one water break.  Once at the top I went all the way to the left to try and line up the sunset. I couldn’t get far enough left.  The photo I wanted must happen in May or June.  Same with the sunrise, isn’t going to happen inside the arch in the morning.  I headed back down to the truck in the daylight instead of after sunset in the dark using a flashlight.  That means we can sleep in a little in the morning and then hit Canyon Land National Park tomorrow and of course Sharon will get to peruse all the little shops in Moab, UT.

Here are my Delicate Arch photos, descriptions under each on.

From the top shot with a 24-70mm

Shot from the outlook below with my RF100-500mm at 500mm

Enjoy the photos and what you read? Please subscribe to be notified of future posts via email by either clicking the Follow button at the bottom or the Subscribe section on the right.

Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 13: (Sunday 9/21/25)

Posted on by
Reply

Day 13: (Sunday 9/21/25), Got up early and was out the door at 5:45 with a projected 7:05 sunrise.  Started off on Gros Ventre looking for more moose.  Found 7 total, 3 bulls, and 4 cows.  Headed to Moulton Barn to try and get a decent landscape without too many people in my photo.  Then I headed to Schwabacher Landing to try and get a landscape with a reflection.  Ran back to the camper for lunch.  Sharon and I had planned on hiking around Jenny Lake.  I was shocked by the crowds when we got there.  There was ZERO parking spots.  I circled the lot for 45 minutes, and it started to rain, so we headed back to the camper to cook a batch of chili and watch Da Bears play The Boys.  I’ll head back out for one more round of glassing for bulls (Elk or Moose).  The Bull Elk was last night, but I hadn’t posted him yet.

  

Moulton Barn

Schwabacher Landing

I have always been known for my wildlife photos, but I have been working hard on my landscapes.  I’m happy with both of these!  Tomorrow is another travel day to Salt Lake City, half way to Moab UT.

Enjoy the photos and what you read? Please subscribe to be notified of future posts via email by either clicking the Follow button at the bottom or the Subscribe section on the right.

Life is good and I am blessed!

Day 12: (Saturday 9/20/25) Big Four

Posted on by
Reply

Day 12: (Saturday 9/20/25), Today was a down day.  Sharon has been such a great passenger princess through all this.  She said she really didn’t want to stare at anymore trees.  We had a leisurely breakfast, followed by couple loads of laundry.  An early lunch and then we headed to Jackson to shop and lay in some supplies.

The reasoning behind our Wild West Trip was: first, I have never been out here, second to hopefully capture a few wildlife photos, and third was to work on my landscape photography.  They talk of the “Big Four” out here.  I was able to complete that yesterday with my moose.  Here are my big four:

Bison

Blonde Grizzly

Bull Elk

Bull Moose

Bonus two mammals

Big Horn Sheep

Mountain Goat

In case you are just joining the adventures, here is the link to the entire trip.  www.kentjarrett.com/wild-west-trip-2025

I did slide out to scout tomorrow’s landscape photo locations and of course and really nice big Bull Elk got in my way.

Enjoy the photos and what you read? Please subscribe to be notified of future posts via email by either clicking the Follow button at the bottom or the Subscribe section on the right.

Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent

Day 11: (Friday 9/19/25) Tetons

Posted on by
Reply

Day 11: (Friday 9/19/25), We broke camp and left Fishing Bridges in Yellow at 9:15 am.  Short down-hill drive to the Grand Tetons.  In fact, Vinny AKA Vin Diesel, my truck set a new record of 16.4 MPG!  The trip was 110 miles.  Got to Colter Bay RV at 11, and they wouldn’t let anybody in until noon.  We were forced to go to the visitor center to get our national park stamp.  Hit the gift shop and bought myself a nice hoodie and hat.  After we got the camper all settled, StarLink took a while, and I don’t have a great signal due to trees.  Sharon decided to take a nap, while I went scouting to get a lay of the land and hopefully find a Bull Moose!

BOOM!  The big four has been completed! (Bison, Elk, Grizzly, Moose). I also have 2 bonuses of Big Horn Ram and Mountain Goat.

Yeah, Full frame bull moose on night one, that takes some pressure off. 

When I hiked out to where the other 3 photographers were I still had the 2X Teleconverter on my 600mm.  I raised the lens and then Dang it, way to much glass.  All I could get was hit rack.  I then did something I have never done before, I opened the camera body and lens and removed the TC in the field.  Yikes!

Then the lady standing next to me, a local, said finally a full bull moose with the Tetons behind him.  DANG it again.  Had to hike back to the truck to grab the other body with my 100-500 to get that shot.  By the time I hiked back out there, he had laid down.  Can you find him? 

Enjoy the photos and what you read? Please subscribe to be notified of future posts via email by either clicking the Follow button at the bottom or the Subscribe section on the right.

Life is good and I am blessed!

Kent