Cedar Breaks National Monument Half the Park is After Dark 🌟 International Dark Sky Park #9 -

The first of 9 IDA-certified Dark Sky parks I plan to shoot within on this journey, Cedar Breaks National Monument’s altitude sets it apart from any place I have shot in the dark. I’d be 10,000 feet closer to them.

I know I say this a lot, but this night shoot, this park was the best to date. Despite the fact that it was like Grand Central Station, with cars zooming through constantly… despite the groups of bright white flashlight-toting groups of people messing up the darkness, the moment I stepped out of my car I exclaimed in awe. I knew as I drove in the deep darkness, headlights in the rearview blazing, tailgating my slow and steady approach. It was so dark. And I saw the Milky Way immediately. And so I never left the parking lot. Because I hadn’t had the opportunity to explore during the daytime hours… and once you see the landscape of my next post, you’ll understand why I opted to not wander about in the dark. Without further ado, the most beautiful Milky Way I’ve ever captured.

So those are tail lights driving away and illuminating the Juniper trees. Though I was getting frustrated in the moment, I like how the cars painted my pictures, especially because nothing was going to blow out that epic Milky Way.