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10 Photos
Map of featured photo opportunities
19 pages of tips on locations, equipment and exposures that will
enhance your photo taking experience
The Grand Canyon National
Park Photographic Guide includes details to photographing Isis Temple, Dana
Butte, The Aligator, Powell Memorial Point, Hopi Point, Cape Royal, Wotan's Throne, Vishnu Temple, Mohave Point,
Osiris Temple, The Abyss, Pima Point, Hermit's Rest, Santa Maria Springs, Dripping Springs, Yavapai Point, O'Neill
Butte, Mather Point, Red Wall Limestone, Yaki Point, Shoshone Point, Newton Butte, Ottoman Ampitheater, Grandview
Point, Moran Point, Lipan Point, Unkar Creek Rapids, Grand Canyon Watchtower, Tanner Canyon Rapids, Vermillion
Cliffs, and Navajo Point, just to name a few. We provide you with directions, routes, best time of day, hiking
times, etc. to make your photographic trip time productive and enjoyable. You can order today by clicking the order
form button below.
This is an example of the detailed directions our Grand Canyon
National Park Photographic Guide provides.
Powell Memorial Point
Powell Memorial Point is the next pull out and one of our favorites. This location (just a short distance up the
trail from Maricopa Point) offers an excellent view in all directions and is good for sunrise, sunset and moonlight
landscape photography. When you walk up to the stairs leading up to Powell Memorial, walk around to the right where
you will find a trail leading down to a lower level. The lower level offers an excellent view, a large flat rock
overlooking the canyon and is much less crowded. You will come to love this solitary location. As you look north
you will see Dana Butte and to the west The Alligator.
Hopi Point is a popular spot at sunset. Hopi Point is located
0.3 mile along the trail west of Powell Memorial Point. During the summer and fall season you will need to stake
out your spot very early along the east rail for sunset; the shuttle bus will bring many visitors just before sunset
so be prepared. Do not let this discourage you, as this location is excellent at sunset. Cape Royal, Wotans Throne
and Vishnu Temple (7,635 feet crowned limestone butte) are very visible along the eastern horizon. The fall sunset
turns the clouds orange and then strawberry as these rock formations become beautifully etched in the eastern sky.
Mohave Point is another very popular sunset location. This is
a good location, 0.8 mile up the trail west from Hopi Point, to photograph the Colorado River below with a telephoto
lens. You will see Osiris Temple to the north and the Alligator below you. You will want that pinyon pine or juniper
tree in your foreground to add depth to your image.
Mohave Point is a good location to study the geological layers
of the Canyon. Geologists consider the Grand Canyon the showcase of the earth as it exposes nearly two billion
years of our planet’s history.
The Abyss will give you a different perspective of the Canyon, as you will be looking down a side canyon rather
than an overlook. The Abyss is 1.1 miles down the trail from Mohave Point.
Pima Point offers a spectacular 180-degree view of the Canyon
any time of the day. The morning offers a great western view and the sunset offers an eastern view. The Colorado
River can be photographed below from this Overlook.
Hermits Rest is the end of the 8-mile road from the West Rim Interchange.
The Park Building has a beautiful rock fireplace inside, a snack bar and a Hopi rug display. There are few photographic
opportunities at this overlook. The Hermit trail begins here which will take you to the Santa Maria Spring and
Dripping Springs but both are all day trips. The Santa Maria Springs trail is 5 miles round trip with a 1600 feet
elevation change over an un-maintained steep trail that requires caution. The Dripping Springs trail is 7 miles
round trip with 1350 feet elevation change over an un-maintained steep trail. These trails offer great photographic
opportunities but only attempt them if you are an experienced desert hiker. The springs are not easily photographed
but the view on the way down is spectacular. The return hike out is difficult. There are better trails that you
will enjoy photographically should time permit.
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