Utah
About this photograph
Dramatic ouds gather behind Lighthouse Rock, the iconic hoodoo of Palo Duro Canyon, creating a dramatic portrait of the rugged Texas Panhandle.
My wife and I hiked the Lighthouse Trail on April 2, 2010. What started as a cold and windy morning gradually turned into a pleasant day with a strong breeze—the kind of changing Panhandle weather that makes every mile feel different from the last.
When we reached Lighthouse Rock, I stopped below the towering formation to capture this view. The weathered layers of stone, steep canyon walls and restless sky revealed a landscape shaped by wind, water and time.
Taking the photograph was not the end of our day, we continued upward, taking the fun and challenging scramble to the top and earning a new view across the canyon.
This photograph preserves the moment before that final climb: Lighthouse Rock rising above us, the trail still unfinished and the summit waiting overhead. Its strong contrasts and rugged textures make it especially suited to Western, Southwestern and rustic interiors.
