Zabriskie Point
Death Valley, CA
ZABRISKIE POINT
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF ZABRISKIE POINT
Death Valley provides some of the most remarkable shapes, colors, and hues you can find in the American Southwest. Zabriskie Point is no exception. For this reason, sunrise at Zabriskie Point is one of the most popular photographic spots in Death Valley. This iconic spot is a must when visiting Death Valley, as it is easy to get to and requires only a short walk to witness a truly amazing sunrise.
The areas around Zabriskie Point looks like you are on another planet, with maze-like ridges painted with yellows, chocolate browns, pinks, greens, and blues. To top it off, there is a shark fin triangular-shaped point known as Manly Beacon in the center. It is a great place for both wide-angle vistas and compression abstracts.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
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I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1 - 2.5 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). There are several places to shoot Zabriskie Point. Most tourist stand at the visitors’ viewing area. The hike to the visitor’s viewing area is a simple 150yd. walk from the parking lot and is rated as a 1.
For the shot above, I chose to hike up the ridge to the right of the visitors’ viewing area. This hike is more difficult - up a narrow and rocky ridge for about a 1/4 mile. The hike can be a bit dicey in places and you can easily tumble if not careful. I would rate the hike up the ridge as a 2.5
From the brown ridge on the right of the visitors’ viewpoint you are much higher than other places at Zabriskie Point, and the shapes and compositions are completely different. Shooting toward Manly Beacon and the badlands will be the obvious scene most photographers will try to capture. However, swinging back to the left allows you to capture some very interesting abstracts with a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes.
If you are going to shoot at sunrise, be very conscious of when the sun …
You can use lenses from 16-135mm. Most photographers come to Zabriskie Point with a wide-angle vista shot in mind. I find the standard lenses and short telephotos can produce some great compression abstracts. The above shot was taken with a 50mm lens.
743 Ft. Elevation
Other Resources Available with Membership
KMZ Trail File
Directions
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Best Time of Year to Shoot
Equipment Needed
Permits Required
Direction of Shot
Google Maps Birds-Eye-View
Number of Photographers to Expect
Cell Service
Overnight Lodging/Camping
Nearby Restaurants
Area Guides and Workshops
Other Resources
LOCATION SUMMARIES WRITTEN BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
