Sculpted by wind and time, the ancient sentinels of Monument Valley stand as testament to the rugged beauty of the desert southwest. Their stoic presence speaks of resilience, whispering tales of a time when dinosaurs roamed the land. The Navajo people revere these formations, considering them sacred places imbued with the spirits of their ancestors. Gazing upon these natural wonders, we are humbled by the enduring power of nature and the vastness of time.
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Navajo Nation USA
Lines in the Sand
Mother Nature's fingerprint at White Sands National Park. The delicate lines on the dunes at dawn are a mesmerizing reminder of the ever-changing desert landscape. Witnessing the hues in the sand transition to warm to cool colors at dusk, and reverse again at dawn, was a big factor to decide to camp in the park. And it was worth every ounce of sand I discovered in the tent and backpack thereafter.
White Sands National Park
NM USA
Moroccan dreams
Morocco, the land of light, in an under-served travel slogan for a majority of its tourists who visit this North African nation lining the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. It is more known for its cities such as Casablanca and Marrakech, which inspire visions of historical romance and spy-thriller-esque environs. But far in the interior of the country, lays a landscape with varied geology that would give even the US a run for its money. Fault lines that cris-cross the Atlas mountain have folded the landscape over like crumpled paper, pushing multiple layers that were hidden deep below high into the sky.
It is not a forgiving landscape. Wind-swept plains intersperse the lowlands between the ranges, with poor soil and arid conditions leaving very little room for sustenance. The blue line of the paved road that traverses this landscape carries the lifeblood to remote settlements that dot this region. And provided me with an opportunity to explore this remote hinterland of Morocco.
Atlas mountains
Morocco
The Vast Sahara
Its hard to get a sense of scale of the great Sahara. And even though I visited a small portion of it on its western end, I felt lost in it. No wonder Arrakis was such a harsh planet!
Merzouga
Morocco
A National Parks Journey - Petrified Forests National Park
I had meant to combine a visit to Petrified Forests National Park, tucked away in the north-eastern corner of Arizona, along with Grand Canyon during the spring of 2020. But Covid had put a stop to those grandiose plans. Nevertheless I found myself at the entrance of this Park one year later. It is one of those Parks that you can only visit and explore during the daylight hours, unless you were the few who chose to spend the night under the stars in the vast backcountry wilderness. But on this trip, I hadn't carried any gear to do so, and I chose to remain one of the daytrippers.
I wasn't sure what to expect of Petrified forests, apart from actually seeing petrified wood which I did. But I also found colorful badlands made of layers of blue clay, a desert-like landscape with large swathes of red color painted over, and crystalline wood still resembling buried logs but in various shades of blue, white, green and other colors. After seeing all these, I had wished I could have spent the night to experience this vast desert landscape after dark.
This vista showcases the Painted Desert, one of the likely choices for backcountry camping in the park. With no freshwater available, you would have to haul everything in and out yourself - and that is not for the casual traveler.
Petrified Forests National Park
AZ USA
A National Parks Journey - Joshua Tree National Park
I was surprised that I had put off visiting the 8th National Park in the State of California for this long. Especially since I had lived in California for over 8 years. The Park itself was easy to access from the town of Palm Springs, which makes for a suitable base to visit the Park. And even though I hadn't expected to see much in this park except for its namesake - the Joshua Tree, I was pleasantly surprised to explore a thriving desert landscape with very unique rock formations.
Cacti of different species, including this forest of spiny chollas, called this rocky landscape home, as do the iconic boulder formations that have attracted boulderers from all over the continent. But framing all this are the namesake cacti - the Joshua tree, that is so emblematic of the Colorado Desert Region of Southern California. While heading out of the park on a colorful evening, I found this forest just as the sun dipped below the mountains and lit up the sky.
Joshua Tree National Park
CA USA
A National Parks Journey - Saguaro National Park
The winter was proving to be depressing, and in a bid to escape to a sunnier climate, we chose to explore deserts of Arizona and White Sands. Saguaro National Park, in South-Central Arizona, made for a quick day trip from the neighboring town of Tuscon. The Park, so named for its spectacular forests of the nation's cacti, offers plenty of hikes where trails explore the diverse Sonoran desert ecosystem.
The park is divided into two parts - the Tuscon Mountain District and the Rincon Mountian District. We chose to spend the day exploring the former due to its proximity to the city of Tuscon. The latter, on the other hand, offers plenty of wilderness opportunities, including backcountry camping. If we were to come back, the Rincon would be the place to explore.
Here is one of the spiky Saguaros under a moody grey sky of the Sonoran desert.
Saguaro national Park
AZ USA
A National Parks Journey - Great Sand Dunes National Park
I had visited five National Parks in 2018, with three in quick succession during a trip to Colorado. First on the stop was Great Sand Dunes National Park, one of the five National parks where you can find sand dunes, and the only one where the dry desert meets the Rocky mountains. Situated in rain shadow of the snow-capped peaks lay towering golden sand dunes more than 200ft high. From my past experiences spending the night in the dunes, I knew I that spending the night here would provide plenty of opportunities for photography, but first, I had to figure the logistics of doing that - including getting permits.
Having arrived late in the day leading up to the Memorial weekend, which was big for travel here, I was not particularly hopeful on getting a walk-in permit. Thankfully, the stars were on my side, and I had secured the last permit. After that, the next challenge was figuring out where to camp. So I saddled up my pack and walked towards the dunes, with no specific destination in mind. Climbing up sand isn't easy in the best of times, but climbing with a heavy pack with 4l of water and camera gear all under the dry desert heat was immeasurably worse. But once I settled in to an amicable spot, and enjoyed an afternoon siesta, my mood was certainly brighter.
Planning a night in the dunes is harder than a regular backpack, but all those troubles worth it for the serene sunset, beautiful night sky amidst the dunes, and the refreshing feeling of stepping into cold and soft sand.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
CO USA
A National Parks Journey - Guadalupe Mountains National Park
At first glance, the high summit of Guadalupe mountain was an unremarkable mountain peak that would not have been out of place amidst the desert landscape of the US West. And it would have garnered no more attention than a simple viewpoint and plaque calling out the highest point in the state of Texas. It may have been awarded a historical marker, or may have even been designated as a state park. It was only with closer examination that realized why it was elevated to the status of a National Park - it is a region rich with varied ecosystems that occupy the different climactic zones of the park, from the dry desert at the base, to the shaded and humid canyon interiors that carve through the park, and the cool and dry alpine zones at the higher elevations.
Visiting the park isn't hard as it is right off a major east-west highway in Texas. But lacking services, you must be prepared if you intend to spend some time here to explore the park and attempt the summit hike. The dry Texas heat is another factor to be considered when planning a trip to this remote park. My short visit here didn't afford any time to climb the peak; perhaps I will return one day to climb it.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
TX USA
A National Parks Journey - White Sands National Park
On my feed, I have often waxed poetry about White Sands, which I had first visited when it was still a National Monument. Sheer white sand dunes of the type found in White Sands National Park take on otherworldly hues at the magic hours of sunrise and sunset. And since the park is open only from an hour after sunrise to an hour before sunset, the only way to experience the magic hour is to camp between the dunes. Doing so requires contending with freezing temperatures and billowing winds, desert bugs and wildlife, and lack of any water. But the reward is the ability to shoot at the golden hours.
After grabbing dinner, it is time to take up the camera and shoot the dunes before night sets in. And while the evening light brings on yellow, and later pink hues on the sand, I prefer shooting the dunes before sunrise when the dunes take on a blue tone reflecting the deep blue desert sky of New Mexico. It also helps that the winds blowing through the night ensure that the fresh ripples in the sand constitutes a new canvas ready for another day of painting by the light.
Even though I have been there twice, this place has enraptured my heart so much that I would never refuse another night of camping in the dunes.
White Sands National Park
NM USA