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Moonscape overlook
- Thread starter Damnerd
- Start date
Blind Bill
Senior Member
Hmmm.....I'm not really sure how to reply to this. When I visited (2x) the only people I found were campers along the rim and I never got the impression they were homeless.
Has something changed?
Probably not except the amount of people camped (?) there. Let's refer to the dispersed camping description of the forest service.
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www.fs.usda.gov
I know this is BLM land and not forest service. With some 10-12 parties camped in one spot they must not be seeking solitude or they would have found a spot somewhere else in the million acres available to them. So they created a "city" on the rim of a photographers haven.
When I go to a photographic spot I don't want to have to walk through someones campsite: but I will.. It is a very odd and rude spot to camp in the eyes of this outdoorsman. I spend my time in the wllds alone.
Just saying...
Don
Downloading re-editing/re-touching of my images is prohibited without express permission.
Do you walk into an art exhibit or walk up to an artist at his easel and say "let me see a brush, I'll fix it for you"?
That is ludicrous.
damnerd
www.damnerd.com
bjn70
Veteran Member
If it's crowded that's due to Instagram and other social media.
The last time I was there was about 2 years ago, nobody else was there. The night before we were east of there but we could see it off in the distance. After dark we could see a single light from the rim so maybe there was only one group there.
The last time I was there was about 2 years ago, nobody else was there. The night before we were east of there but we could see it off in the distance. After dark we could see a single light from the rim so maybe there was only one group there.
I was expecting a Zabriskie Point experience but it was more like a campground. Vehicles backed up to the rim, couldn't even walk around the edge.
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Don
Downloading re-editing/re-touching of my images is prohibited without express permission.
Do you walk into an art exhibit or walk up to an artist at his easel and say "let me see a brush, I'll fix it for you"?
That is ludicrous.
http://www.damnerd.com
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Blind Bill
Senior Member
Was this recently? The last time I visited there were 3, maybe 4 vehicles (one tent) and no one got in the way of our shooting. I imagine those lone moments may be long gone in a few years. I know more workshops are being held near Hanks so there's that.
It was 04/08/2025. I guess it is a product of the overlanding fad. I remember when the hills were overun with backpackers during that fad in the sixties/seventies. There was of course the groupies that hardly made it but a few miles from the trailhead and created Hotspot camp cities. As a comparison.
10-12 sounds about right, sometimes there will be less, sometimes even more. It's a spot attractive to:
Campers / Overlanders
Instagram Selfie Seekers / social media Influencers
New age hippie freaks seeking a mother nature crystal wearing experience
Photographers
Sight seers
Luckily there is not much that can be harmed there with its growth in popularity due to social media other than the human body from falling off the side, or the experience itself
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mreynolds767
Senior Member
The area is quite large ; 10 vehicles / campsites would still give everyone plenty of space.
It sounds crowded for an April non-weekend but still would not exactly be crowded. The fact it is free and be coming more known likely means at least for nice weather months like April that being the only one there will be increasingly unlikely.
Sounds comparable to other "hidden gems" in the Southwest area though, where you likely will have 10-12 other campers/cars at a given time ; which makes them very isolated compared to any type of National Park site.
Now I assume the cars there were more the well off traveler type than homeless but maybe you experienced something unfamilair to me.
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It sounds crowded for an April non-weekend but still would not exactly be crowded. The fact it is free and be coming more known likely means at least for nice weather months like April that being the only one there will be increasingly unlikely.
Sounds comparable to other "hidden gems" in the Southwest area though, where you likely will have 10-12 other campers/cars at a given time ; which makes them very isolated compared to any type of National Park site.
Now I assume the cars there were more the well off traveler type than homeless but maybe you experienced something unfamilair to me.
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Yep. I wish some one would have painted a truer picture of how this area is being (ab)-used, at least I would have been ready for the homeless camp type environment created by the tourists. Anyway got my snap and got out once I saw it.
mreynolds767
Senior Member
Is weird ; I camped 2 nights here in April a couple years ago.
Was at peak probably 10 vehicles there at once over the 40 hour period I stayed ; but I left with such a different impression than you seem to have ???
Many hours I was there I was the only one. Is really not a nice place in the midday heat. I felt both nights I was the only one staying more than the single night.
Nearby places like Leprechaun Canyon, Goblin Valley State Park, had a similar amount of vehicles when I visited for a couple hours and I also did not think either of those were crowded.
Could say the same thing about bucket list hard to reach photo places in the region like White Pocket, Toroweap when I camped overnight there, both having roughly 10 vehicles at peak.
Either things have really changed or we have very different opinions on crowded. I do think the fact one can free camp on BLM land is more known now and this location and the town of Hanksville has increased in popularity over the past few years.
The ridge itself has enough room to have more photographers than Horseshoe Bend without anyone being in another's shot yet that place has 100x the crowd.
My stops before and after this were the very crowded Arches National Park and Bryce Canon National Park so so I suspect it is all about perspective.
The parks have been hopelessly crowded for years (I worked in Yosemite in 1969, and have been back only a handful of times because it was crowded then). I lived near Kings Canyon NP for years and only drove through it to get to forest service land.
I would like for these new explorers to develop a sense of respect for photographic hotspots, camping a reasonable distance from them and visiting them to photograph. I don't need to see them going about their cooking/camp set up/hygiene routines at a scenic overlook. It is quite rude of them to not seek a little decent privacy for their personal life.
That is my perspective from years visiting the great outdoors. So is my idea of crowded and yours different?
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Don
Downloading re-editing/re-touching of my images is prohibited without express permission.
Do you walk into an art exhibit or walk up to an artist at his easel and say "let me see a brush, I'll fix it for you"?
That is ludicrous.
http://www.damnerd.com
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Tuonov2
Senior Member
How dare other people want to enjoy something when I'm there, Maybe you should give advanced warning that you're coming so others will stay away?
Maybe they could find a campsite away from a scenic overlook. They could respect other visitors that want to experience the area without walking through/around their campsite. Camping there is rude.
mreynolds767
Senior Member
I hope you just visited at a time when a more disrespectful than usual group was camped out there.
It is also possible that the sight is known as a free place to stay so attracts all kinds now, where before it being a little out of the way and not on maps kept the crowds to mostly photographers.
I know I had an overnight "remote" campsite location spoiled by an extended family that decided it was a good place for a reunion before.
The location from what I recall was spread out along the rim with 2 parking/camping areas and rim/ridge access between the 2 so avoiding a group camping would have been quite easy. I pulled my truck right next to the rim in the lower parking area and camped there ; where I was no one would have a reason to walk within 10 feet of me.
My main memory of the place was I left my tripod outside so I could take a blue hour shot and then set my alarm for 1 AM walk 10 feet and take the same composition with the Milky Way ; which was pretty cool and obviously I felt it was safe and remote enough to do that. Reminds me I don't think I ever edited that, takes a few steps to stack the frames.
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Online Gallery here
https://www.mattreynoldsphotography.com/
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mreynolds767
Senior Member
After sunset drone shot of my truck where I camped and further up a few other cars camping in the other parking area.
Sounds like it is much different now?
--
Online Gallery here
www.mattreynoldsphotography.com
Sounds like it is much different now?
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Online Gallery here
Matt Reynolds PhotographyMatt Reynolds Photography
Cape Cod photographer specializing in luxury wall art and limited edition prints. Online gallery and unique prints for your home or office.
www.mattreynoldsphotography.com
I started this thread to see if anyone else has noticed/cares/feels that these scenic areas are being enfrenged. My small town experience seems to require a little more space than possibly city dwellers? I spend a lot of time alone stalking deer, elk, pronghorn etc for photography. So the need for grouping in the outdoors escapes me. When I camp I find a secluded spot with wind shelter as needed. Camping on a cliff is foreign to me. Muchless on a popular scenic overlook where other people will be walking around eschewing the scenery.
The response is about what I anticipated.
The response is about what I anticipated.
mreynolds767
Senior Member
I guess so.
Around me the options of camping on a cliff edge you could say are limited at best so I did it for the experience/novelty not the practicality.
Made no difference to me if for sunrise there was no one else or a dozen other photographers joining along side me. Some times I prefer the solitude but I also enjoy sharing the passion with other like minded folks.
They have every right I do to be there and as long as they leave it no worse than then they found it, they are welcome in my eyes.
This location is to me a Sunrise and/or MW spot ; so logistically it is hard to even take a good photo here unless you camp close to the edge. Photographically it does nothing for me at other hours of the day. The BLM has designated this as a campsite area - maybe that is where you are off base a little. The nearest other approved campsite area is miles away, not just a short walk.
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Online Gallery here
https://www.mattreynoldsphotography.com/
Around me the options of camping on a cliff edge you could say are limited at best so I did it for the experience/novelty not the practicality.
Made no difference to me if for sunrise there was no one else or a dozen other photographers joining along side me. Some times I prefer the solitude but I also enjoy sharing the passion with other like minded folks.
They have every right I do to be there and as long as they leave it no worse than then they found it, they are welcome in my eyes.
This location is to me a Sunrise and/or MW spot ; so logistically it is hard to even take a good photo here unless you camp close to the edge. Photographically it does nothing for me at other hours of the day. The BLM has designated this as a campsite area - maybe that is where you are off base a little. The nearest other approved campsite area is miles away, not just a short walk.
--
Online Gallery here
https://www.mattreynoldsphotography.com/
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