Artist's Palette - Death Valley National Park

Artist's Palette is on the face of the Black Mountains along Artist's Drive in Death Valley National Park.

As the name would suggest, it broadcasts an aray of attractive colors in its rock. The colors are brought on by the oxidation of different metals; red, pink and yellow is from iron salts, green is from decomposing mica, and the purple is from manganese.

The Artist's Drive area provides evidence of one of Death Valley's most violently explosive periods, though this is not the predominant thought on your mind while viewing these colors of the rainbow.

Geology and history aside, Artist's Palette is a darn right beautiful place! The contrasting palette of colors attract photographers and tourists alike, especially toward evening as the sun begins to set. This is when the colors start to pop as the light grows ever softer.

A great vantage point is on a bluff just south of the main parking lot. It's also accessible from the road shortly before the Artist's Palette turnoff.

This bluff serves as an excellent place to catch sunset over the Panimint Range as well. And if you are lucky enough to catch clouds in the sky, the reward can be excellent!

Arist's Drive is a scenic one-way loop located about halfway between Furnace Creek and Badwater, accessed from Badwater Road. It rises up to the top of an alluvial fan fed by a deep canyon, and includes many sharp curves and deep dips - much like a roller coaster.

These images were all captured with my 70-200mm lense, often in tandem with a 2x telenconverter. This setup was particularly useful in isolating the patterns and colors of the rock.

Return of the California Bighorn Sheep

I love visiting the Oak Creek Wildlife area outside of Naches in January/February each year and seeing the large numbers of California bighorn sheep descend from the hills above. The rams in particular are fun to watch, especially when they decide to practice their rutting techniques!

So it was a nice surprise when I was contacted by a graphic designer wishing to use one of my images for an interpretive sign in the Umatilla National Forest! The sign is to celebrate the return of the California bighorn sheep to Oregon after previously having been exterminated.

Through the efforts of the Oregon Department of Wildlife, the bighorn sheep have returned. They were reintroduced to Patomus Creek in 2003 and are now thriving in the area. This sign will be permanently displayed at an interpretive display there, and I am excited to go see it in person, as well as visit and learn about the area!

Oak Creek Wildlife Area

The Oak Creek Wildlife Area is located just outside of Naches, Washington near (and at) the junction with SR 410 and SR 12. For California Bighorn Sheep and Rocky Mountain Elk, this is one of the best wildlife viewing points in our state. Add in the many Bald Eagles and other visitors to the area, and it is an experience that can't be missed!





I have visited the Oak Creek Wildlife Area many times now, and each visit has been a different experience. Be it snow vs. sunshine, the turnout of the different herds, or the number of eagles feeding on the carcases of deceased animals.

The best way to visit the area from the Seattle area is to drive I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass to Wenatchee, turn south on I-82 and follow it to Yakima, then follow the signs for SR 410 to Naches.

I recommend beginning your day by visiting the big horn sheep (they are first to get fed). At the intersection of SR 410 and SR 12, turn right and follow the narrow road about a 1/2 mile to a well signed parking lot on the left. If you get there early, it is fun to watch the big horn sheep make their way down the hillsides from far above! Take your time here and enjoy watching the sheep interact with one another - especially if rams are present.


Next it's time to visit the elk back at the junction. As you approach the junction, look up. You will likely see the hillside dotted with elk waiting for the feed truck to arrive. Park on the southeast side of the junction, carefully cross the road and walk up the short embankment to the fence. The herd will be waiting for you! This herd numbered about 500 just a couple of weeks ago, and proved much more skittish than the herd at park headquarters.

Drive another 1/2 mile up SR 12 and you will arrive at park headquarters. This is where the big herd can be viewed, and many of the elk will likely already be lounging in the field near the parking lot. This herd numbered over 800 just a couple of weeks ago.

First stop should be the visitor center, to both warm up and sign up for one of the free truck tours offered. The staff here are very friendly and knowledgeable, with many stories to share. Please be sure and leave a donation to help support their efforts. Restrooms can be found on the opposite side of the building.


The truck tours take you out into the middle of the herd where they park, allowing guests time to photograph and observe the elk at much closer range. The trucks are associated with food and are accepted by the elk. People however, are not. During one tour a little girl dropped her hat on the ground. The guide waited until she felt most people were done, then asked permission from them to retrieve the hat. We soon learned why. As soon as she set foot on the ground, the elk panicked and ran away!

For more images, visit my Oak Creek, Elk, and Big Horn Sheep galleries.