Places to stop along my I-80 road trip?

[wildbill]

I'll be leaving los angeles in less than two weeks for home (northern Michigan) and i'll be taking I-15 to Utah then I-70 to I-80 the rest of the way. I shoot landscapes mostly but i'll stop for abandoned factories, farms, etc. I'm okay with doing short jaunts off the freeway and i plan on taking maybe 4-5 days on the way there.

On the way back i may go through the Upper Peninsula and catch I-90 to Wyoming then I-25 south to Boulder, Colorado where i'll spend a day or so.

I need some places to shoot!

thanks

vinny

 

[Alex Hawley]

I need some places to shoot!

The famous Bridges of Madison County are along I-80 in Iowa. Plenty of signs so it should be pretty obvious how to get to them.

 

[Alex Hawley]

Vinny, if you want to stay on I-70 into Kansas, there's the Monument Rocks in Gove county. Its a miniature Bryce Canyon-like formation. I was just there yesterday. Its twenty-five miles off I-70 south of Oakley, Kansas. Real easy to get to.

 

[JBrunner]

If you have time, take a juant off I-70 to Goblin Valley and that edge of the San Rafael Swell.

 

[Photo_G]

If you want to shoot abandoned factories, farms etc. why are you taking the Interstates?

Get off the highway - get on the byway.

Try tracing old Rte. 6 or 20 etc. across!

You'll find plenty of what you're looking for on those routes.

Besides, think of how much gas you'll save driving at 50mph instead of 80!

 

[Shawn Rahman]

I'll be leaving los angeles in less than two weeks for home (northern Michigan) and i'll be taking I-15 to Utah then I-70 to I-80 the rest of the way. I shoot landscapes mostly but i'll stop for abandoned factories, farms, etc. I'm okay with doing short jaunts off the freeway and i plan on taking maybe 4-5 days on the way there.

On the way back i may go through the Upper Peninsula and catch I-90 to Wyoming then I-25 south to Boulder, Colorado where i'll spend a day or so.

I need some places to shoot!

thanks

vinny

Vinny,

A friend and I are doing nearly the same thing, but we will take 10-11 days, and the destination is NY. Leaving Pasadena on July 14th, and seek to arrive in NYC by the 25th.

We're open to shooting anything, but would like to do a good amount of abandoned factories and farms as well. I've been looking at a lot of David Plowden's work lately to get me motivated.

What film are you using mostly? I will take my 645 and 35mm, and am thinking about a combination of Acros 100 and Tri-X. I am debating a slower film like Pan-F.

Good luck with your trip!

 

[wildbill]

Shawn, I shoot fp4 and efke 25 mostly in 8x10. Velvia 50 for color in 8x10 down to 35mm.
Sounds like great trip. I wish i had that much time. If i get more time on the way back i may get off the interstate a bit. I hadn't thought of that. I plan on doing no more than 70mph.
Thanks for the help so far, keep 'em coming!

 

[Bruce Osgood]

On the way back i may go through the Upper Peninsula and catch I-90 to Wyoming then I-25 south to Boulder, Colorado where i'll spend a day or so.

I need some places to shoot!

thanks

vinny

If you're on I-90 into South Dakota there are the Bad Lands and the Black Hills. Both places deserve some time.

 

[Derek Lofgreen]

There is Chimney Rock sort of between I-80 and 1-76 in Nebraska http://www.nebraskahistory.org/sites/rock/ and Courthouse and Jail rock in the same neighborhood http://www.nps.gov/oreg/planyourvisit/site6.htm

If your in the Boulder area at all check out the Boulder county open space http://www.bouldercounty.org/openspace/ lots of great stuff with easy access for a quick trip.

D.

 

[wildbill]

Boulder is a nice area. I fly fished boulder creek last year for a day then went back with the 8x10. It was wicked hot though! Thanks for those links.

 

[Vonder]

I'm in Iowa myself; lived here most of my life. I-80 through Iowa is generally only picturesque on "puffy cloud days" which I'm sure is a term all landscape photographers recognize. You can take just about any off ramp though, and soon find yourself in farm country or a small farm town. Lots of barns. Some in great shape, but many, many falling apart. If you're up for a camera store visit take the Dubuque Street exit in Iowa City and look for the big green walkway over the street. At the corner of the next intersection is University Camera, and a little bit off to the right is the old capitol. If you get near the old capitol on a puffy cloud day, early in the morn, you can take a great shot. It's a beautiful building. Tours inside are Tuesday through Saturday.

 

[wildbill]

Yeah, i drove from michigan to Aspen about 10 years ago and i don't remember seeing much until i got to Denver. You want boring, try US-2 from Michigan to Alaska. Nothing for the first 2000 miles!

 

[Iwagoshi]

I'll be leaving los angeles in less than two weeks for home (northern Michigan) and i'll be taking I-15 to Utah then I-70 to I-80 the rest of the way. I shoot landscapes mostly but i'll stop for abandoned factories, farms, etc. I'm okay with doing short jaunts off the freeway and i plan on taking maybe 4-5 days on the way there.
vinny

Vinny,
(I drove from the SF to Denver, meandered through Nevada and ended up in Ceder City Utah, on I-15.)
From Ceder City I suggest you take the "short cut" to I-70 via Bryce Canyon, Staircase Escalante and Capitol Reefs. I think they call it A Journey through Time Byway, Hwy-12, then head up Hwy-24 through Goblin Valley to I-70.

On the way back take I-70W to Crescent Junction Utah and head down to Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, to I-40.

Terry

 

[Vonder]

In case you hadn't heard, be careful. They are closing I-80 in Iowa on Friday due to expected flooding. Not sure how long the road will be closed. If we don't stop getting rain the whole state will be under water.