Two weeks ago, I posted images from Utah’s five National Parks. The state has some remarkable state parks that might be designated as national parks elsewhere. Close to the west side of Zion National Park is the expansive (and less crowded) Snow Canyon State Park.
Snow Canyon State Park, Utah
As I noted in an earlier post about this park, “Snow” is not a water feature but the name of the brothers who settled in the area. They likely arrived on horseback.
Snow Canyon State Park
South of Capitol Reef National Park is the extraordinary landscape formed by the San Rafael Swell. Wrapped in that area is Goblin Valley State Park.
Sunrise, Goblin Valley State Park, Utah
More images of Goblin Valley and the surrounding area can by found here. The main feature of the park is the area filled with all the goblins.
Goblin Valley
Separated from the rest of Arizona by the Colorado River and the impassable Grand Canyon National Park is the area of the state called the “Arizona Strip.” Just north of the state border is Utah’s Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Utah
Unfortunately for photographers, the state allows vehicles to drive on the dunes, so finding areas to shoot without tracks running across the dunes is a challenge. Not far away, is
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
East of Bryce Canyon National Park are the red sandstone spires of Kodachrome Basin State Park.
Kodachrome Basin State Park, Utah
Kodachrome, of course, was the popular, color-forward slide film produced by the Kodak company. The National Geographic Society popularized the area in the 1940s by calling it Kodachrome Basin. In a mutually beneficial marketing scheme, the state got permission to give the newly established park the trademarked name. I posted more images from the park here. Hope you can visit some of these parks if you head out to visit the Big Five national parks.
Kodachrome Basin State Park