Night Sky over the Borrego Badlands

What a glorious night it was, sitting on the edge of this amazing view with the stars flooding the sky overhead!  Being in this place at this time, I felt a peace like I hadn't felt in a long time.  

Sunset over the Borrego Badlands

After two nights in Borrego Springs I was all set to leave the area in the morning but as I was driving away from town I just happened to notice the little sign for Font's Point.  I had been so focused on photographing the sculptures at night that I had forgotten about Font's Point.  On my previous trip here I had read about it but did not have a vehicle capable of driving down the wash to the point.  This time, since I had my Jeep Wrangler, getting there wouldn't be an issue.  

So, I turned down the wash and 4 miles later was standing at the incredible views you see here.  Remember, this was mid-morning so the light was rather harsh.  Once I saw the view I immediately decided to spend a third night in Borrego Springs.  I spent the rest of the day exploring other things in the area (the Salton Sea and Slab City, Imperial Dunes National Recreation Area, etc.), returning to Font's Point for sunset.  Even though there weren't any clouds on this evening, the Belt of Venus glow was quite impressive!

The Guardian

A young warrior keeps watch over the city while the residents sleep.....

Night Roamer

A dinosaur wanders the desert at night in Borrego Springs, California.....

Red Dragon and the Milky Way

Borrego Springs is such a fascinating place.  I am endlessly intrigued by the metal sculptures dotting the landscape.  The serpent (or dragon as I always call it) is definitely one of the more interesting pieces of art.  I couldn't resist doing a slight bit of light painting on this one, using the soft red light of my headlamp.  

Taming the Dragon

One of the first images I made upon my arrival in Borrego Springs, California on November 4, 2018 after 3 days of driving.  Also one of the main reasons I made this trip to the desert.  I timed it so that I would arrive as new moon was approaching, that way I would have nice dark skies filled with lots of stars.  

Borrego Springs is a small town in the desert just a couple of hours east of San Diego.  The area is known for the intriguing sculptures by artist Ricardo Breceda.  Over 130 of them dot the landscape around town and capture the imagination.  

I visited the area in April 2017 but did not have the opportunity to photograph the sculptures after dark.  As I explored them in the daytime all I could think was how cool it would be to photograph them under the night sky.  So, a year and a half later, I made my wish come true and went back to Borrego Springs.  For 3 nights I photographed the sculptures under the glorious night sky of the desert southwest :-)  

Valley of Fire, Nevada

As I was traveling through Nevada it wasn't part of my plans to swing through Valley of Fire State Park but when I saw the sign along the freeway, I couldn't resist.  I had seen many photos online from this park and I had the time so I decided to take a drive through. It sure was beautiful.  The rock formations and colors were amazing.  Definitely a place to come back to and spend more time in the future.  

Spotted Wolf Canyon, Utah

One of the first places I stopped to take some photos on my recent trip to the southwest was Spotted Wolf Canyon on Interstate 70 in Utah.  This canyon is amazing, it cuts right through the San Rafael Reef.  The view from the top looking back towards the east is a great place to sit and just take things in for a while.