Valley of the Gods, Utah

I actually ‘stumbled’ upon this area while en route to meet up with some family for a backpacking excursion through The Grand Canyon.  Just outside of Bluff, Utah on Hwy 191/163 the road ascends up over a ridge and drops back down into a valley that is truly awe inspiring.  I tell people all the time that even the best photographers’ images never do justice to the landscape of this region of the country.

Lucky for me it was a stormy spring day and the clouds only let the suns’ rays pierce their way through on occasion, making for some pretty dramatic landscapes.  The winds roared through the valley with sounds I’ve never heard before and really don’t know how to even describe, but I knew after hearing it how the valley got its name. 

There is a 17 mile dirt road (FR 242) that connects Hwy 163 and UT 261.  Not sure how long this loops takes most people, being a photographer and making numerous stops it took me over 4 hours.  I managed in an all wheel drive sedan, but depending on the season and the amount of water across some of the roads something with a little more ground clearance is recommended. 

Sometimes the best things in life are those that we never expect. The entire Valley of the Gods gallery can been seen here.