Zion National Park, 2009

Zion National Park, May 2009

Some time after 2009, Zion National Park became a much busier place: National Parks Service data shows visits in May doubled from 2009 to 2025. Growing up 30 minutes from the park, we often had moments of relative solitude in the park, as you can see in the last photo here.

I look forward to taking my children here when they're old enough to A) not wander off the trail, and B) remember it, but I wonder: Will they remember crowded trails and noise, or will they have a chance to experience that same solitude?

Most — probably all — of these photos were taken with a Pentax Super Takumar 55mm f/2 lens, which rendered everything with a certain warmth. It was my favorite daily lens to use for a long time — at least until I bought a Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4. These days, I'm shooting mostly with old Zuiko lenses, but these photos make me want to revisit that classic lens.