The Bentonite Hills of Utah are one of the Earth’s most visually stunning vistas. These gently curved hills are banded with vibrant layers of orange, red, yellow, white, and blue which explains why they are also known as the “Rainbow Hills”. The view can be otherworldly…like something you might see on Mars (perhaps that’s why they built the “Mars Desert Research Station” (MDRS)” less than a mile away.)
Despite their visual appeal, they can be surprisingly difficult to photograph. In fact, when I visit, I rarely take my camera out of the car. If you ask me why, I’d tell you the reason is one of perspective.
The Right Perspective
Finding an attractive perspective for a shot is a fundamental goal for photographers. We obsess over it, spending time and treasure to find creative perspectives that set our work apart from that of others. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought a silly new piece of equipment, climbed out on a sketchy ledge or tried some other crazy thing to capture a unique perspective.
When I first saw photos of the Bentonite Hills, I thought some of the shots were mildly interesting, but there were some that were absolutely jaw-dropping. What was the difference? Perspective. The so-so shots were all taken from ground-level, but the killer shots were all taken from drones.
A New Toy
I’d been considering a drone for a couple of years, but those Rainbow Hills images gave me the excuse I needed to finally pull the trigger and buy one.
A few weeks later I was looking down at the Bentonite Hills from my drone’s camera and seeing this:
The opportunities for stunning photographs seemed to be limited only by the flight-time provided by my drone’s battery.
Flying the drone was a new experience but I didn’t find shooting photographs to be dramatically different. The basics are the same, it’s just kinda like using a tripod that happens to be 300′ tall.
Bentonite Hills Photography Guide
Where are the Bentonite Hills?
If you want to try your hand at photographing here, you will need to do some driving. The Bentonite Hills are located in isolated central Utah about an hour and a half west of Moab or an hour east of Capitol Reef National Park.
The easiest way to find the Bentonite Hills is to key in “Mars Desert Research Station” into your car’s GPS. Once you get to the MDRS, drive another half mile or so and park anywhere convenient. The hills will be off to your left (west).
If that doesn’t work, then just drive to Hanksville, Utah. Start at the Hollow Mountain Gas Station at the intersection of Hwy 24 and UT-95 (you can’t miss it). Drive 3.8 miles west on Ut-24. Just past mile marker 113, turn right on the unmarked dirt road named “Cow Dung Road” (I kid you not).
Cow Dung Road is a bit uncomfortable and rough but usually passable for high-clearance vehicles unless it has recently rained. Even passenger cars can handle the road most of the time, especially if it has been recently graded…just exercise caution.
You will pass the very visible Mars Desert Research Station about 3 miles in on your left. The best areas for drone photography will about a half mile past the MDRS also on your left (west).
I’ve created the interactive Google Map below to help. It provides directions, distances, and photographs of landmarks.
Mars Desert Research Station
Constructed back in the early 2000s, the MDRS is the oldest and largest Mars surface research facility on Earth. Although fascinating, there isn’t a whole lot to see from the road. You aren’t allowed to enter their facility but it is worth a brief stop at the sign for a couple of photos.
When to go?
Bright sunlight washes out a lot of the color, so mid-day photography is not ideal. Overcast skies can work well but I think the blue/gold hours near sunrise and sunset are best. Plus, the low-angled sunlight right after sunrise/ before sunset creates long, photogenic shadows.
The time of year doesn’t matter but keep in mind that it can get incredibly hot here during the summer.
Your prime shooting time near sunrise/sunset is limited so maximize your productivity by scouting the area out ahead of time. It is a big area to cover, even with a drone.
Bring Your Drone
As I mentioned, a drone is the best way to photograph here. Fortunately, this location is Federal land administered by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) which allows the use of drones.
Drones are not allowed in areas managed by the National Park Service. Keep that in mind if you drive a few miles west into Capitol Reef NP.
Note that drones are NOT permitted over and immediately adjacent to the MDRS. You should be photographing the area north of MDRS so this shouldn’t be a problem, just pay attention.
When NOT to go?
This whole area is made of Bentonite clay, which is a 140 million-year-old mixture of mud, sand, and volcanic ash.
When you add water, you get a slippery, sticky mess. Don’t visit if it has rained heavily recently or if showers are in the forecast, otherwise, you risk getting stuck and paying a local entrepreneur an insane amount of money to tow you out.
If won’t take my advice, at least use extreme caution and drive slowly. Stop and get out of your vehicle to inspect any washes (dry streambeds) to ensure they are passable before driving across.
Drone Camera Settings
If there is any direct sunlight, the dynamic range will be pretty wide for even a full-frame camera, much less a drone’s. I’d suggest you use exposure bracketing.
You may want to set your exposure a bit darker than normal which will help accentuate colors, especially the blue tones which tend to be lighter.
Second, shoot in RAW. You want every bit of data your sensor can provide.
Third, try panoramas. Taking 3 or 4 photos and then stitching them together is a way to effectively make your sensor ‘bigger.’
Still need better Resolution?
By using all the tricks outlined above, I was able to create images with decent resolution…certainly enough for website or social media use. But the pixel peeper in me still wanted more.
The solution was using AI. Specifically, the AI-powered programs now available that use cutting-edge software to dramatically increase an image’s resolution with very little loss of detail. I’ve used both Photoshop’s Super Resolution and Topaz’s Gigapixel to good effect.
Processing Tips
Obviously, everyone will want to move that Photoshop vibrance/saturation slider to the right and enhance the colors. Show some restraint: many of the photos found on the internet photos are painfully oversaturated.
Increasing the clarity or dehaze adjustment has a nice effect as well.
Darkening shadows and blacks results in emphasized contrast which I found to be attractive.
Are there Bentonite Hills located elsewhere?
Yes, there are other areas in Utah that have hills made from Bentonite. However, the site I’ve described in this article is widely regarded as the most photogenic.
Probably the best-known alternative location is in nearby Capitol Reef National Park.
If you take Cathedral Valley Loop Road in Capitol Reef NP about 8 miles north of the Fremont River crossing, the road will pass through some Bentonite Hills. As mentioned before, drones are forbidden in National Parks so your photo options are limited. Plus this area is smaller, more difficult to reach, and (in my opinion) less attractive than the area around MDRS.
I’m done photographing, can I just hike out onto the Hills?
Yes, there aren’t any official, marked hiking trails, but you can explore the area to your heart’s content. The clay surface can be a bit fragile and popcorn-like, so try to stick to the existing social trails and leave no trace.
Final Thoughts
If you live in an urban area, I’ll bet you will find your time here interesting. The area is truly remote, quiet and isolated. I rarely see more than one or two other cars when I visit…you certainly won’t be crowded.
There isn’t any place like this anywhere. Now some have said that the Bentonite Hills reminds them of the Rainbow Mountain in Peru. Rainbow Mountain IS amazing but the Bentonite Hills are unique in their own right. Hopefully, you will be able to visit here and experience one of the truly novel places on Earth.
Cheers!
Jeff
PS: There are other great photo locations less than 30 minutes away from here: Factory Butte, Long Dong Silver, and the Moonscape Overlook.
Bentonite Hills Photography Guide
Related Images:
Visits: 156