Temple of the Sun
Temple of the Sun
Cathedral Valley, UT
Southeast Utah offers some of the most unusual topography found anywhere in the American Southwest, with colorful buttes, abstracts, striations, and unlimited sandstone formations.
Near Caineville, Utah, is Cathedral Valley, home to some of the most impressive sandstone monoliths you will ever see. The most famous monoliths are a pair of towering spiers named the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon (only about 500 yards apart). Each comprises a deep red sandstone that glows at sunrise and sunset.
Like many beautiful formations in the southwest, this one is in the middle of nowhere and is not easy (but doable with a high-clearance vehicle) to get to. Do yourself a favor in this area, get up early, and drive this 17-mile dirt road to witness this wonderful sunrise.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Trail Difficulty - MODERATE TO CHALLENGING
I rate the difficulty of this trail as a 3 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The walk to the location of the shot is an easy 20 ft from the parking area. However, the 17.5-mile drive on the dirt road to get to the location is bumpy and sandy and has plenty of slick rock and holes. I would not drive a car to this location and suggest a high clearance vehicle, if possible, a high clearance 4x4 vehicle - as there are several places where you drive through sand (sometimes a bit deep).
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
5,431 ft Elevation
Download KMZ Trail File
Click Here to download the KMZ file for this location.
Photography Tips
This location can be photographed at either sunrise or sunset (I much prefer sunrise for the angle of the formation and the sidelight from the first light of the day). The area in this location is filled with many different compositions for shooting the Sun and the Moon formations (only about 500 yards apart). This location provides a nice view of both formations (Temple of the Moon is the small formation in the lower left of the image above).
The shot above is a simple composition where you stand just to the right (west) of the glass mountain (10ft high mound of gypsum crystals) just off of a dirt turnaround and wait for the Sun to hit the Temple of the Sun.
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to the Temple of the Sun.
From Hanksville - drive on UT-24 for 18.2 miles until you see the road to Cathedral Rd (on the right, just past the little town of Caineville). Once on Cathedral Rd, drive 16 miles and take the turn (left) on Temple of the Moon Rd.
Drive 1.2 miles and take the turn toward (slightly right) the GLASS MOUNTAIN (DON’T DRIVE TO THE TEMPLE OF THE MOON). Once you turn to the GLASS MOUNTAIN, you will drive about .3 of a mile and come to a turn-a-round. Park here and walk about 20 ft west (you will see a 10ft high mound of gypsum crystals - called the Glass Mountain). The location of the shot is on the right side of 10-foot-tall gypsum crystals.
Google Earth
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 430mm
Exposure – 1/8 th sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – Oct 24th
Time – 7:05 am
Best Time of Day to Shoot
This location can be photographed at either sunrise or sunset. I much prefer SUNRISE due to the angle of the formation and the sidelight from the first light of the day.
The shot above was taken at 7:05 am (when the sunset was @ 6:43). The Sun started to hit the Temple of the Sun at about 6:47, but I waited 20 min for the Temple of the Moon to receive some light on the formation.
Best Time of Year
This location can be photographed at any time of year.
Lens(es) Needed
The Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon are similar in size. I wanted to include both formations in my image but wanted to make the Temple of the Sun appear much larger. For this reason, I used a 43mm lens to create this effect.
Birds-Eye View From Google Earth Pro
Permits
The Temple of the Sun and much of the Cathedral Valley are located in the Capitol Reef National Park. As of the writing of the summary (Nov 2023), the entry fee ranges between $10 - $20 per vehicle. Once in the park, no other permits are required.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the shot is south at 187°.
Equipment Needed
From a photography standpoint - all you need for this shot is a sturdy tripod and a polarizing filter.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
This location is way off the beaten path but is a spectacular place to visit. You could see anywhere from nobody to 10 - 20 people.
Weather
The Cathedral Valley has a high desert climate at about 5,000 feet elevation. The temperatures can vary up to 30° - 40° a day. Spring and fall are nice, but summer can get into the high 90s.
Cell Service
There is NO cell service at this location. The only cell service available in the area is toward Hanksville or Torrey.
Lodging & Camping
As mentioned, Cathedral Valley is located in the Capitol Reef National Park - which does not allow dispersed camping. However, there are several pullouts back toward Caineville (just outside the border of Capitol Reef National Park. The closest lodging is in Caineville, Hanksville, or Torrey.
Nearby Restaurants
The Temple of the Sun is in the middle of nowhere. The closest Restaurants are in Hanksville or Torrey.
Area Guides and Workshops
Melvin Perc @ Meridan Tours 954-907-6259
Many areas around Hanksville are wonderful to photograph, but they can only be visited with a high-clearance vehicle. Several outfitters, guides, and tour companies take you to remote places for photography tours or overnight stays.
I have used Melvin Perc at Meridian Tours (954-907-6259) and really enjoy his knowledge of the area and time he takes to make sure your experience is first rate (NOTE: I have no relationship with Mel and pay full price when using him for tours).