my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Community   » Film-Yak   » Exploring the American South West (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: Exploring the American South West Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 09-05-2005 06:39 AM                        My mother is coming back for another visit soon. She likes to travel around and see interesting and spectacular scenery, just like I do. Last year, we explored California (PCH, SF, Yosemite, Death Valley, all the usual suspects). This time, I plan on heading out East to see Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, and other interesting places. I haven't really made any plans yet. We have about a week. Any tips? Spectacular scenery, interesting archaeological sites like the pueblos in the cliffside (I don't recall right now where that was though), basically anything that is worth seeing and eploring in the South West, in the general Arizona, Nevada, Utah region. Maybe New Mexico too, depending on how the trip plans out. Since we will be starting from LA, the first rough plan would be something like LA - LV - Grand Canyon - Bryce Canyon - Grand Staircase - Monument Valley. I would like to visit the Carlsbad Caverns in NM, but that seems a little far. I find this website very helpful: http://www.americansouthwest.net/index.shtml Any other ideas, tips, etc?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-05-2005 10:14 AM                     Michael, Allow more than one day at each of these places....... I would start the trip at at Moab Utah and then work your way back to CA. Moab, UT." Moab, UT is the mountain biking capitol of the world and was voted the number two place to vacation to in the world on a recent Television Travel show. Its easy to spend a few weeks there and leave just having touched on some of the stuff, there is that much to do in the Moab area. Not to visit Moab is to miss most of the best that the southwest has to offer. Its definately my favorite place in Utah. http://www.discovermoab.com/ Among some of the better things to see near Moab are..... Arches National Park... The hike to Delicate Arch is 3 miles round trip and very easy. Get to the parking lot early in the morning... this fills up fast and overflow parking is not allowed there. It took me three days trying in a row to be able to park there during the busy summer season once....! This is the most photographed arch in the world. Also go on the guided tour of the Firey Furnace area... this is super spectaculuar if not somewhat dangerous! Be sure to sign up for this at the Arches visitors center as soon as you arrive in Moab as space on this tour is very limited and fills up quickly! You can see alot by driving through this park and also just by taking short walks from the designated parking areas. This is a be sure to see it National Park and IMHO is one of the seven wonders of the world. http://www.discovermoab.com/archesnationalpark.htm http://climb-utah.com/Moab/delicate.htm Fisher Towers: Located about 15 miles east of Moab. This is a moderately strenuious hike that takes you on a trail with 400 to 500 foot drop offs among 1500 foot high sandstone towers that are geologically very spectaculuar with may goblins and gargoyles to be seen. This area is not as well known as some of the national parks and hence is not normally as crowded with people, especially if you get there early in the morning. http://www.amwest-travel.com/awt_fishertowers.html Dead Horse Point: Be sure to go see the view from the overlook. That trail down below is the White Rim bike Trail! http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/whiterim.htm Rafting: Rafting the Colorado is more fun than many can take in on one day! In particuluar Cataract Canyon if you have the time and money!! These are the best and wildest rapids around. But any half or full day trip is alot of fun and very inexpensive!! http://www.moab-rafting.com/ Then go to..... Zion National Park: All the really good stuff is seen only by Hiking.... The 15/70 film Zion Ccanyon is well worth seeing while you're there for the history of Zion Canyon and for some of the most spectaculuar Hang gliding and rock climbing ever put on film!! Also shown in the film are Bryce canyon and Upper Antelope Canyon. http://www.desertusa.com/zion/du_znpmain.html Leaving the east sntrance of Zion you can head north to Bryce... follow the signs! Bryce Canyon: There are some easy hikes like the Queen's Garden Hike which is a relatively easy 1.6 mile hike and very spectaculuar. Stay at Ruby's Inn which is right outside the park entrance. http://www.utahtrails.com/Queens.html Southern Utah/AZ: After you finish at Bryce head back south on HWY 89 to Knab where many, many famous western films were made. You can access the north rim of the Grand Canyon from Knab which is an area that is much less traveled to. You can also access Grand Staircase Escalante from Knab. Grand Canyon: North Rim... Hike down in and then back out to get a feel for Grand Canyon! Most people never get to see the Canyon from the north rim. Lake Powell Recreation Area: http://www.canyon-country.com/lakepowell/canyon%20country%20tours.html When finished at Bryce then go over to Page AZ. There is the Lake Powell Recreation area over there and the very nice town of Page. Near Page there is Upper Antelope Canyon which is the most photographed slot canyon in the world. And also Lower Antelope Canyon where 11 hikers drowned in a flash flood in 1997 http://www.niler.com/ac13.html You plain just don't hike slot canyons if there is rain in the forcast . Be sure to go to Upper Antelope at about high noon so you can photograph the sun beam area of the canyon. http://www.pbase.com/junxu95/antelopcanyon While you are there you can also tour Glen Canyon Dam http://www.canyon-country.com/lakepowell/gcdam.htm Or rent a house boat for a few days, rent Jet Skis, or motor boats, and enjoy more miles of coast line along Lake Powell than the entire west coast has. I will probably retire to Page AZ.! Take Rt 98 from Page to Rt 160 to RT 163 to get to Monument Valley..... Monument Valley: This is Navajo land and as such The Navajo's are the ones giving tours of Monument Valley. I reccomend the full day tour here so you also get to see some of the back country stuff. http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/monument_valley/ You can spend a entire lifetime exporing any of one the places listed above. I've been to all these eplaces and alot more but there are two things you have to abide by.... 1. Take at least 55 gallons of your favorite sun screen with you. 2. Take water with you where ever you go, at least two litres and drink often so you don't de-hydrate... buy at least a small backpack! Also helpful.... http://www.utah.com/ Great photos at this site: http://climb-utah.com/index.htm Hope some of this helps.....  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 09-05-2005 01:26 PM                        If you're planning to go the other way around, like LA to Grand Canyon, I'd skip LV and go straight I-15 to I-40 at Barstow and press. With the possible exception of Hoover Dam, there's nothing to see in LV that isn't done better elsewhere in these parts (though for us trapped locals, Valley of Fire, Redrock Canyon, Mt. Charleston, and Grand Canyon West will do nicely). Northern Arizona: Steam train between Williams and Grand Canyon village. 60 miles in two hours. Better than the drive up. Grand Canyon won't be as crowded or busy as it is during the summer. Check out the El Tovar Hotel on the south rim. There's an IMAX (and the most expensive McDonald's in the US) in Tusayan village just before the park gates. Do the hike or ride the mules down to the Phantom Ranch at the bottom. (Warning: Must be in excellent physical condition to do this. The one-way helicopter ride back up for those that can't make it out on their own is hella expensive.) Normally reservations for the mule ride must be made many months in advance, but one might get lucky off-season. Do the Desert View Drive from Hermit's Rest (if it's open to private cars) east to Desert View and the watchtower. Do one of the air tours if you have more scratch than time. I love the drive through Oak Creek Canyon between Flagstaff and Sedona, AZ. And Jerome, a funny little mining town built on the side of a bluff near there. There are some cliff dwellings in the area. Petrified Forest and the Meteor Crater east of Flagstaff. Southern Utah: Bryce and Zion are both spectacular in the fall. If the play's the thing, the Utah Shakespearean Festival continues its annual run in Cedar City through October.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 09-05-2005 01:55 PM                     If things change and wanted to stay west, head up US-101 along the Oregon/Washington Coast. Nice drive and scenery, plus not so hot along there. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Kelly Skaggs Film Handler Posts: 68 From: Springdale UT Registered: Jul 2003 posted 09-05-2005 03:59 PM                        I would defiantly suggest Zion Canyon in Southwest Utah, you could take I-15 north through Vegas and at St. George head east to Springdale you can go to Bryce from there only about a 2 hr drive, then head down to Page and see Lake Powell, then on down to The North Rim of the Grand Canyon, it is not as busy as the South Rim but the Views are great, you are about 1000 feet higher then the South Rim. Make sure to get a Year Pass to the National Parks at the first park you go to, they are $50.00 and will save alot of money when seeing several parks. Moab is also one of the greatest places I have been to, Arches is a must see, if you can do the hike it is about 3 miles round trip you must see Delicate Arch, Double Arch is also a must if you are a fan of Indiana Jones. Here is my web site it has pix from most of the parks mentioned. Kels Web Page  |  IP: Logged Daniel Schulz Master Film Handler Posts: 387 From: Los Angeles, CA USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 09-05-2005 06:32 PM                        I recently visited Sedona, AZ for the first time and was quite impressed. The approach is most spectacular from the north; Flagstaff itself has its charms, and then the drive down to Sedona is pretty impressive.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 09-05-2005 10:10 PM                        Thanks for the tips so far! Plese keep'em coming. It will definitely be the South West this time. The Chaco culture runins in North West NM look very interesting too, and not at all far away from Monument Valley. I am still eyeing the Carlsbad Caverns in South NM, but I think they may be too far from everything else. The emphasis will be on driving around, discovering, watching, taking pictures, a little hiking rather than mountain biking and day-long hiking. I could lose a few pounds, but I can't take my mother on too strenuous trips. She is 67 and in better shape than most people at that age, but she isn't really young anymore either.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-06-2005 07:18 PM                     Michael, I would definately reccomnend the Queen's Garden hike at Bryce Canyon for your mom, she could certainly do Fisher towers as well. There are always elderly folk at both those places . The hardest part of the whole thing is comming back up and out at Queen's Garden. Remember....Just take your time and take plenty of water... even if its not hot out the extreme dryness of the Southwestern climate will still de-hydrate you big time and in no time flat!! It can take you days to recover from a bad bout of it. As for the trip into N.M., it would all depend on how much time you would rather spend seeing things or driving to see something. N.M. is alot bigger stste than it looks on the maps and many times don't have a straight direct route.... you have to drive AROUND large Mountain ranges as there generally are no roads through them. I-80 through Nevada is a prime example of that!! IMHO, N.M. would be a seperate vacation in itself... Albuquerque, SantaFe/Los Almos area, and Trinity site(only open twice yearly), and there's plenty of Native Indian stuff along the way to all those places to see. Its certainly practical to drop into north west N.M. though. But then there is Hovenweep and other extremely interesting stuff thats just a stones throw from Monument Valley. LIke I said it takes a lifetime just to see Utah and then you still haven't seen most of it! Hovenweep-1 Hovenweep-2 Mark  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 09-06-2005 10:12 PM                        What about the area around Dead Horse Point? It would seem to make sense to go up there, return through South West CO, check out the Chaco culture site in North West NM, then start heading back West. It really looks like going all the way across NM would expand the trip enormously. After all, we don't want to spend all the time driving to sites.  |  IP: Logged Ron Yost Master Film Handler Posts: 344 From: Paso Robles, CA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 09-07-2005 12:25 PM                     Here's a site with basic info on the Grand Canyon area's Native American tribes: Grand Canyon info - Indian Culture The tribe that had the magnificent cliff dwellings were the ancient Anasazi. Their remaining dwellings are in Canyon de Chelly. I've never been there but would like to see them someday. Also interesting are the Havasupai, who still live in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Not in cliff dwellings, however. Enjoy your trip! You're in for some truly awe-inspiring sights and experiences. Ron Yost  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-08-2005 12:48 AM                        You will need to take this catalog with you. Personally, I wouldn't set foot in any of those places for fear of being struck by a falling anvil.  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 09-08-2005 12:52 AM                        Just take your parasol William. You'll be fine.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-08-2005 06:27 AM                     YEa, good plan of attack!! But don't forget a week minimum around Dead Horse Point which is the Moab area. Plenty of decent Motels and Micro brewerys there too or just camp out under the stars...... Really one could easily spend two full weeks just in Moab!! You've got Arches, Dead Horse Point, Fisher Towers, Colorado River Rafting, and so much more that I can't begin to name it all. quote: William Hooper Personally, I wouldn't set foot in any of those places for fear of being struck by a falling anvil. William, I've had that problem along this trail down in Bryce Canyon several times now...... Mark  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 09-08-2005 11:32 AM                     There's several places in New Mexico worth visiting for spectacular scenery. White Sands National Monument is pretty cool -especially the view of it from US Highway 82 heading west through the mountains toward Alamogordo. US-82 winds its way past Cloudcroft and the moutains open up revealing this wide view of the sands in the distance. Ruidoso is nearby, has some wonderful scenery -not to mention one of the most popular quarter horse racing tracks in the country. Carlsbad Caverns is very popular, but it is a long drive to reach it from the north. You could stop in Roswell to witness some of the zany UFO attractions there and then smell the oil refinery in Artesia on the way to Carlsbad. Artesia does have a pretty nice movie theater -they invested a pretty good amount of money on the big neon sign out front. Normally, most tourists would plan a trip to Carlbad Caverns approaching by way of El Paso. You can take US-62 and stop at Guadalupe National Park and see the tallest mountain in Texas and then cross over to Carlsbad. Northern New Mexico has lots of tourist attractions. Taos Pueblo, Santa Fe, etc. If you're really into geology, Capulin Volcano is a pretty interesting place to visit. Colorado has some of the best mountain scenery one can find in the "lower 48." I-25 runs along the front range of the Rocky Mountains, and those peaks are pretty huge looking for the height difference between them and the highway. You could spend an entire vacation in Colorado Springs for all the stuff there. Estes Park within Rocky Mountain National Park (little more than an hour's drive northwest of Denver) arguably offers the most spectacular mountain scenery one can see from a car within the lower 48 states. The only thing that beats that at all is Denali National Park in Alaska (home to Mount McKinley, the tallest peak in North America).  |  IP: Logged Will Kutler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1506 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 09-08-2005 11:36 PM                     Wanna learn about America Take Ma on a tour of "Route 66". Do some web research and see if anything is happening while she is here, like the annual event in San Bernardino, CA. Cheers K  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.