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Hello and welcome to Carmen Green Photography! Here I will be sharing my photos of landscapes and wildlife from around the world along with helpful travel tips. Please follow my journey and check out my photo galleries. All images have been taken by myself and are available to purchase as prints and photo products. All of which are available to purchase from my Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CarmenGreenPhotos Also, don't forget to like my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/CarmenGreenPhotography/ and follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/carmen_green_photography/ Yosemite National Park, CaliforniaOne of the most highly ranked National Parks in the States, make sure to add Yosemite National Park to your USA itinerary. With spectacular granite cliffs, great waterfalls and giant Sequoia trees, you will soon understand why it is so highly rated. An important tip when visiting Yosemite is to make sure that you arrive early. Not only so that you can have a full day to make the most of this beautiful National Park, but also because it can get very busy, particularly during the summer months. We made the mistake of going on Memorial Day, however, fortunately we managed to arrive there early enough to beat the queue into the park and get a parking space. Although there is a car park near the visitor centre, this fills up very quickly and you will see many cars circling round and round waiting for a space. You may get lucky, but it is best to get there early. Alternatively, you can park a little further away (there are car parks all along the road towards the visitor centre) and get the free shuttle bus that runs throughout Yosemite Valley and stops at all the main viewpoints, lodgings and stores.
Bear in mind that if you are travelling in from the east of Yosemite, the main road to get to the National Park, Tioga Pass, tends to be closed during the winter due to snowfall. There is no set date for when it opens again; it is usually late Spring but can vary depending on the time it takes to clear snow off the roads. Therefore, it is advised that you check this website prior to your trip to avoid disappointment. From Lee Vining (the start of Tioga Pass), it takes about 2 hours to get to the Yosemite Valley visitor centre. While this may sound like a long drive, the time will fly by as you gaze out across snowy mountains, beautiful clear blue lakes, alpine meadows and dense pine forests. If you have the time, there are so many lovely places to stop at on route to Yosemite Valley such as Ellery Lake (above), Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadows. There are a number of places to stay at in Yosemite, however, these tend to get booked up quickly and are expensive due to the high demand. Therefore, we decided to stay in Mammoth Lakes before spending the day driving right across Yosemite, stopping at all the major sights then exiting at the western side of the park at Yosemite Forks and spending the night in Chowchilla.
The Tunnel View No trip to Yosemite would be complete without stopping at one of the most iconic and probably most photographed viewpoint in the whole of the National Park. This spot provides an excellent overview of the park's towering granite cliffs including the Half Dome and El Capitan, cascading waterfalls and lush green pine forests.
Waterfalls Yosemite National Park is home to thousands of waterfalls. One of the main ones you have to see is Yosemite Falls (left). Comprising three separate waterfalls (Upper Yosemite Fall, Middle Cascades and Lower Yosemite Fall) and at a height of 2,425 ft, this is one of the highest waterfalls in North America! A short walking trail (approximately one mile loop) leads you from the shuttle bus stop right to the base of the waterfall. You can also hike to the top of this waterfall where I expect you would be rewarded with fantastic views. However, unfortunately we did not have enough time to do this. Another spectacular waterfall to see is the Bridalveil Falls (right), so named due to the way the water falls; resembling a bride's veil blowing in the wind. This is one of the first ones that you will see as you enter Yosemite Valley and is only a short hike from the car park.
Glacier Point Despite the hour long drive from the visitor centre, it is well worth the journey up to Glacier Point. At a much higher vantage point than the Tunnel View, it offers an amazing panoramic view of the National Park and is also probably the best location to see the famous half dome. In addition, there are toilets at the top as well as a gift shop and cafe where you can buy much needed refreshments before descending back down the winding road. Bear in mind that due to heavy snowfall over the winter, the road up to Glacier Point is only open during the summer months.
Wildlife You are bound to encounter an abundance of wildlife while visiting Yosemite. Turkey vultures and ravens can be spotted circling high over the park for much of the day while numerous squirrels scurry in and around the visitor centre, mule deer creep through the forests and yellow-bellied marmots that burrow under piles of granite rock. Also, keep an eye out for bears! We were extremely fortunate to see a Black bear while on the trail back from Yosemite Falls. It was surprisingly very close to the paths, probably within 20ft of the many visitors that were passing by that day and completely oblivious to this large mammal. Despite seeing so many signs warning of bears in the park, we still cannot believe that we were lucky enough to see one of these fascinating animals.
It isn't hard to see why people rave about Yosemite National Park so much. As long you carefully plan out your trip, you'll be rewarded with stunning scenery, fantastic hiking trails and unforgettable wildlife encounters. There is so much to see and do here - we will definitely be returning one day! A day in Death Valley National Park, CaliforniaRenowned for being the hottest, driest and lowest place in northern America, Death Valley National Park is another must-stop destination for all USA road trips. Located in eastern California, a couple of hours drive from Las Vegas, this National Park is a land of extremes that offers beautiful viewpoints and unique landscapes that include towering mountain peaks, pristine sandy dunes and vast salt flats. Also, for any Star Wars fans out there, Death Valley has featured in this film franchise on numerous occasions. A day in Death Valley Start the day off in Furnace Creek where you will find the visitor centre that provides an informative overview of Death Valley National Park. Bear in mind that Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells (approximately 30 minutes drive from Furnace Creek) are the few places within the park where you can buy food, water and fuel (this is considerably more expensive than outside of the park so it is advised that you fill up before you go) and both places have several options for accommodation. Dante's View A great way to start exploring Death Valley is to drive up to Dante's View, one of the most photographic spots there. Along the crest of the Black Mountains, this viewpoint provides an excellent panoramic view of the whole National Park. Also, at a height of almost 1,700m, it is much cooler here than in the rest of the National Park making it worth the drive up there. Despite the barren landscape, a number of plants and animals call Death Valley their home and Dante's View was dotted with several flowering plants that have adapted to survive in a land of such extremes.
Badwater Basin Next, head back down towards Furnace Creek and take the turning for Badwater Basin. At an elevation of 282ft below sea level, Badwater Basin is the lowest point in northern America. Here, you can wander right out into the salt flats that was once a shallow lake during the Pleistocene epoch. Make sure to apply plenty of suncream and bring lots of water and sunglasses as there is no shade and the white salt flats are very bright to look at.
Devil's Golf Course On route to Badwater Basin, make sure to stop at the Devil's Golf Course, so named because only a devil could play golf on such a surface. It really is a hostile environment, created from jagged salt formations but is truly unique. Take care when walking along this uneven terrain as the rocks are very sharp.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes Before you leave Death Valley, don't forget to visit Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes; beautiful rippled dunes that seem to have randomly appeared in the middle of the otherwise rocky, mountainous landscape. These dunes are constantly being sculpted by the winds; footprints soon disappear and no two visits there will look the same. There are no marked trails as a consequence so you are free to explore as much or as little as you want. It was here that the scene showing C3P0 and R2D2 lost in the sand dunes of Tatooine was filmed.
These are the major highlights of the National Park, however, there are many other places that you can stop off at if you have the time including: Zabriskie Point, Racetrack Playa, Scotty's Castle and Artists Drive (another Star Wars filming location). There is plenty to do in a day here but ideally, in order to fully explore this amazing National Park, you should spend several days at Death Valley if you have the time (and don't mind the heat too much)! Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
Whether you have been visiting the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon or other attraction in northern Arizona, make sure to stop by the Horseshoe Bend. Just 4 miles outside of Page within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, downstream from Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell, this viewpoint offers breathtaking views of the famous, horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River. This meander, entrenched within a steep-sided canyon, formed millions of years ago and, although appears to be a permanent landscape, the Horseshoe Bend is constantly changing, undergoing the processes of erosion and decomposition.
The Horseshoe Bend is just a short (under a mile) walk from the car park. A steep cliff looking down onto the Colorado River offers you this incredible view. As expected, it can get quite crowded with tourists all posing for memorable photos. We arrived in the late afternoon and it was very busy, although I would expect this place to get even busier leading up to sunset. Despite the crowds, there was never a shortage of excellent locations to photograph this view and pose for our own photos. While everyone is hoping for the classic shot looking straight on at the bend, it is possible to walk right around and view the horseshoe from all angles.
With no railings on the cliff edge, take care when taking your photos. There are plenty signs warning visitors to keep back from the edge as these rocks can crumble at any moment and it is a 1000ft drop! Just standing a few metres from the edge of the cliff sent my heart racing but there were numerous daredevils peering right over the cliff to capture the optimum photos. Also, bear in mind that there is no shade between the car park and viewpoint so bringing plenty of water, sun cream etc is essential.
This sure is a stunning and memorable destination and not a place to be missed off your Arizona itinerary. I hope you enjoy your visit to the Horseshoe Bend as much as we did and take plenty of photos, you won't be short of photo opportunities!
Antelope Canyon
The next stop on our USA road trip was Antelope Canyon, just outside of Page, Arizona; a beautiful and unique natural slot canyon formed by the erosion of Navajo sandstone. This place can get really busy and tends to be full of tourists so it is worth booking online several months in advance of your trip to avoid disappointment. This place is really not somewhere that would want to miss out on and can only be visited with a tour guide. Once you get there, you will be placed into a tour group with a guide (all of which are Navajo Indians) and escorted down into the canyon. As it is so busy, the rules once you are within the canyon are quite strict. For example, you are not allowed to bring any tripods, selfie sticks or large bags. In addition, you are also not allowed to take photographs on the stairways. However, once you get down there, you are welcome to take as many photos as you like and believe me, there are many, many photo opportunities! The guides will also help take photos of you with your loved ones in the canyon and there are various photo hotspots throughout the tour. In order to enable visitors to get the most out of the experience and capture decent photos in these challenging light conditions, the tour guides are well trained on photography (as well as knowledgeable on the canyon itself) to ensure your camera performs at its best. Don't worry if you only have a phone camera, the guides will help you set up your phone so that it can capture the true beauty of antelope canyon. For example, on iPhones, they suggest that you use the filter either vivid or vivid warm. This helps enhance the orange glow of the rocks which the phone camera could otherwise overexpose. Hope you enjoy your visit to Antelope Canyon as much as we did! Visiting Monument Valley
Monument Valley was without doubt the highlight of our trip to America. Despite having seen so many photos of it previously and its appearance in multiple films, none of this had prepared us for our visit to this spectacular place. Firstly, I highly recommended staying at the Navajo owned View Hotel which has been carefully designed so that it blends into its surrounding environment and therefore does not ruin the stunning scenery. While it may be a little pricey, when you stay there, you will soon realise that it is worth every penny. Being the first and only hotel within the whole park, it offers incredible balcony views (as its name suggests) overlooking Monument Valley Tribal Park. Also, staying on site means that you will be able to experience a whole day at Monument Valley, from sunrise to sunset.
Before you enter Monument Valley, there is an open terrace looking out over the park as well as a visitor centre with several exhibits detailing the history of the park and local area as well as a whole section on Navajo Code Talkers and the role they played during the Second World War. Since Windtalkers is one of my favourite films, it was really interesting to learn about the real Code Talkers and how the code based upon the native Navajo language was used to help win the war. Even now, it is the only spoken military code that has never been broken. The majority of the park is open to the general public and visitors can either follow a number of hiking trails, join a guided jeep tour or, if you have your own vehicle, you can drive around yourself. The drive consists of approximately 14 miles of dirt track that can get very bumpy in places so a 4x4 is recommended. Alternatively, you can book a tour with a certified Navajo guide who will take you down private roads leading deeper into the Tribal Park. Either way, you will be able to be able to stop at various viewpoints along the way and see all the major monuments including the Three Sisters, John Ford's Point and the Mittens.
If you are fortunate enough to stay at the View Hotel, you really have to get up for sunrise. Hotel staff will inform you of the sunrise time when you check in so that you don't miss the most beautiful time of the day. Due to our long day of travelling to Monument Valley, we arrived at night and therefore, we actually didn't see these distinctive rock formations until sunrise the next day. Words cannot describe the amazing view that was before us as we pulled back the curtains and peaked out over the park for the very first time. Looking out across the hotel, you will notice that you will not be the only ones up at this time of day. It it well worth the early start!
Finally, don't forget to stop at Forrest Gump point either on your way to or from Monument Valley. It is a 20 minute drive from the park entrance to this iconic viewpoint showing the road leading up towards Monument Valley and features in the film Forrest Gump.
The road from Phoenix to Monument Valley
Our second day in south-western USA comprised quite a long journey from Phoenix up to Monument Valley - a distance of approximately 315 miles and taking about 5 hours to drive. No road trip is complete without a decent breakfast and we found this at Matt's Big Breakfast in downtown Phoenix. While it may not look all that much from the outside and you could easily drive past and miss it, once you are inside, you can see why the streets outside are so quiet - because everybody is in here! If you come here, you can be sure to be given a good hearty breakfast made with great-tasting ingredients and all this food goes perfectly with unlimited coffee refills to set you up for the day. Driving out of Phoenix heading northwards, you can notice the sudden transition from miles and miles of rocky mountains dotted with Saguaro cacti to dry scrub land completely devoid of these large cacti and instead dominated by tussocky grasses and low-growing bushes. Before you know it, you'll be entering Coconino National Forest which holds a great diversity of habitats ranging from dry, rocky deserts to mountainous pine forests. We couldn't complete this journey without stopping at the beautiful town of Sedona to admire the famous red rocks; they were a spectacular sight! We visited the Red Rock State Park, a 286 acre nature reserve offering many hiking trails with fantastic views of the surrounding red rocks including the well-known Cathedral rock. These rock formations have formed over millions of years, beginning at a time when an ancient sea existed in the area before drying out and depositing a mixture of sediments forming layers that eventually settled into hard rock. Even now, these rocks are constantly changing, undergoing the processes of natural weathering and erosion.
The Sedona Red Rock State Park predominantly comprises desert habitat and scrub. In addition, there is a small creek that flows through the park providing another habitat and attracting additional plant and animal species. In this area you can hear a number of different birds singing in the trees and may be lucky enough to spot the curious Mule Deer peeking at you through the bushes, unmistakable with their oversized ears. There were also many signs indicating the presence of rattlesnakes in the park and, despite being constantly on the lookout, we were unsuccessful in finding these elusive creatures. We did however come across several Sonoran Whipsnakes in addition to the many lizards that were darting across the trails.
Leaving Sedona, our route also took us through Flagstaff, a popular base point for tourists visiting the nearby attractions including the Grand Canyon National Park, Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona Snowbowl and the historic route 66. The city is fairly touristy and therefore has a selection of hotels and restaurants to choose from if you do decide to stay here, and is just under a 3 hour drive away from Monument Valley. There is so much to see and do in Sedona and the surrounding area, I only wish we could have spent more time there! If you do get the opportunity to visit, I highly recommend spending at least a few full days there in order to fully appreciate it's beauty. A day in Phoenix, Arizona
Following our most recent USA road trip, I thought this would be a good opportunity to create a series of blog posts documenting our experiences there and hopefully provide some useful tips and ideas for anyone else planning a trip to the States, particularly if they have a limited amount of time, as we did, and don't mind doing a lot of driving. Obviously the blog posts will feature many of my photos. First stop - Phoenix, AZ I'd never really given Phoenix much thought previously, however this turned out to be one of my favourite American cities. Unlike most cities in the world, there were very few high-rise buildings, a lot of open space and it was relatively quiet. The fact that it is almost entirely surrounded by rocky mountains and scattered with large Saguaro cacti made the place even more interesting. While there isn't a great deal to do there (a few days is probably sufficient), it is a great stopover point with several worthwhile places to visit. Desert Botanical Gardens We started the day visiting the Desert Botanical Gardens - a 140 acre botanical garden featuring a series of trails where you can encounter a range of plants and animals native to the deserts of south-western USA. It's an important conservation and research centre involved in educating the public on desert plants and their environments in order to conserve and protect nature for future generations to enjoy. Although I could definitely have spent all day there, we only had time to spend a few hours there. However, this did not stop us from spotting a large number of desert inhabitants - highlights include: Gambel's Quail, Anna's Hummingbird, Desert Spiny Lizard, Gila Woodpecker and the very cute Round-tailed Ground Squirrel which we frequently saw running about, climbing the vegetation and emerging from their burrows that are dotted around the gardens. The habitats are certainly unique, dominated by a range of cacti species that provide a home and resources for many of the animals we encountered. For example, many of the Saguaro cacti have holes that are created by woodpeckers for nesting and are subsequently used by animals such as Elf Owls and bats.
Musical Instrument Museum Our next stop was the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), the largest museum of its kind in the world. A must stop for all musicians and anyone generally interested in music. Here, there displays of musical instruments from all over the world, exhibits of well-known musicians and there is even a room filled with musical instruments that you can have a go at playing. My favourite section was the artist gallery where you can see and hear instruments played by world-famous musicians such as Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Taylor Swift and Maroon 5. The room also has one of the enormous drums featured during the 2008 Beijing opening ceremony. Dobbins Lookout We ended the day by driving up to the summit of South Mountain Park which offers spectacular panoramic views of Phoenix. It's approximately a 15 minute drive from the ranger station at the park entrance. Alternatively, there are several hiking trails up to the summit if you have more time to spend there. Don't get there too late as it is quite a popular destination with limited parking. Watching the sunset and the city of Phoenix begin to light up was the perfect end to the day.
Phoenix is really a great place and well worth a visit. Enjoy your trip there! Welcome to Carmen Green Photography!Welcome to Carmen Green Photography!As well as photography, I love to travel so here you can find my travel blog where I will share my photos and travel tips with you. All images have been taken by myself and are available to purchase as prints, canvases and photo products (just send me a message if you are interested). I also have a range of photo products available to buy from my Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CarmenGreenPhotos I am always working on new material so keep an eye out for new content. Don't forget to like my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/CarmenGreenPhotography/ and follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/carmen_green_photography/
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