Photography · Springdale
Photography Spots in Springdale
You do not have to enter the canyon to photograph Zion. Springdale sits directly under the red cliffs, and with a camera in hand the town itself is a location.
The Town Is the Foreground
Our Springdale guide describes the town hugging State Route 9 for a couple of miles right up to Zion's south entrance, with cliff views from nearly everywhere. For a photographer that is the whole appeal. The main strip, Zion Park Boulevard, runs from the park entrance south through town, so the same street gives you sandstone walls in the background and buildings, patios, and gardens in front.
Most of the town spots in this guide are on or just off the boulevard. The Springdale directory notes the free town bus removes the need to hunt for parking, so consider leaving the car where you sleep and walking with your camera.
Cliff Views From the Street
Walk the boulevard at different times and keep looking up. Springdale is built beneath the canyon walls, which means a frame that includes a sign, a fence line, or a row of trees with a red cliff behind it is available almost anywhere. Winter can add snow on the peaks above the road. Because there is no single official viewpoint, this is the place to work slowly and wander.
Look Back at Town From the Watchman Trail
The best view of Springdale is from above. The Watchman Trail begins at the Visitor Center and climbs a sandstone mesa to a viewpoint over the Watchman formation and the full sweep of Springdale and the Virgin River valley. The guide calls the mesa viewpoint west- and southwest-facing and one of the best sunset spots in the park. It is the town-and-cliffs frame in a single photograph.
The River Path Beside Town
The paved Pa'Rus Trail starts at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and follows the Virgin River. It is flat and paved, with the river beside you the whole way. Look for herons and mule deer at the water's edge and the cottonwoods that turn golden in fall.
Galleries for Reference
If you want to see how other photographers work with this light, the Springdale directory lists a couple of local galleries: Worthington Gallery shows paintings, sculpture, and photography grounded in Colorado Plateau landscapes, and Many Pools Gallery is a cooperative of local and regional artists that includes photography. See the full directory for hours and details, and verify them with each business before you go.
Make a Night of It
Finish with dinner. The best dinners with a view guide has patios that face the cliffs, and the Stay hub is a starting point for lodging within walking distance of everything above.
According to the Springdale directory, a free town bus service runs along SR-9 for part of the year; confirm the current schedule with the town. It lets you ride between your hotel and the park entrance without a car.