Here Comes The Sun
Hear Comes The sun
Near Hanksville, UT
Serendipity /sĕr″ən-dĭp′ĭ-tē/ - noun
The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.
The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.
An instance of making such a discovery.
Many people who see this image will believe it to be Factory Butte (outside Hanksville, UT). And they would be right. However, this differs from how it has been photographed in recent years. Ever since Alex Noriega posted his masterpiece Funnel Factory - thousands of photographers (including myself) have traveled far and wide to capture their own version of this mesmerizing formation. And most will try to photograph it before sunrise to capture the blue hue on this red butte.
On a very cold winter morning, I arrived at Factory Butte to photograph the blue hour, but the clouds covered the horizon, and I got skunked. Breakfast at Duke's was a couple of hours away, so I decided to take a nap.
Something woke me up, and I looked over, and the sun was starting to top the butte, and I thought - WOW, that's pretty cool. Luckily, my tripod and camera were still set up, and I quickly jumped up, turned on the camera, focused, and snapped several images before the sun took over the scene.
I would rather be lucky than good…
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Trail Difficulty - MODERATE
I rate the difficulty of this trail as a 2 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). This shot is simply point-and-shoot. The only reason for giving this a rating of 2 is the 7-mile drive on a dirt road to this location can be a little bumpy, and the last 1/4 mile or so (after leaving the main road) is rough in a few spots. If you are not comfortable driving off road, it is an easy walk to the location.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
4,687 Ft. Elevation
Google Earth
Download KMZ Trail File
Click Here to download the KMZ file for this location.
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to Factory Butte.
From Hanksville - travel west 10.6 miles on UT-24 until you get to a street sign that says 6650 EAST (this is Coal Mine Rd). Take a right and travel .8 of a mile, and you will reach a fork in the road. Stay right at the fork and travel 6.3 miles. This is about .4 a mile past the small (unmarked) parking/camping area on the right.
On the left side of the road (the Factory Butte side), you will see an unmarked dirt road heading toward Factory Butte. Take this dirt road for about 300 yards, and it will vere left for another 100 yards or so. This is your spot.
If you don't feel comfortable driving off-road, you can easily walk the 300 yards or so (it is flat land).
Photography Tips
As mentioned, the shot above was taken just as the sun crested the top of the butte. About 2-3 min after the stated sunrise. The sun will move quickly once it hits the butte. So be set up and ready to shoot as the sun rises.
Funnel Factory, the Alex Noriega masterpiece shown below, has been re-shot hundreds of times (by some of the best landscaper photographers in the world), and his is still the very best.
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 131 mm
Exposure – 1/4 sec sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – Feb 8thth
Time – 7:24 am
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Factory Butte is a very unique rock formation with many photographic opportunities. Most photographers take this image 15-45 min before sunrise to obtain the red rock's blue hue. However, the shot above was taken just as the sun crested the top of the butte. The sun moves downward on the butte VERY quickly, so be ready and set up when you see the first light.
The above image was taken at 7:245 am when the stated sunrise was 7:22 am.
Best Time of Year
This shot is available all year. However, in the late fall, winter, and early spring as the angle of the sunrise provides better side-light (contrast) for the rock veins. You can still get a good shot in non-winter months - but the sun will rise directly behind you. The chart below shows the sunrise direction for different time of the year.
The above image was taken on Feb 8th
Lens(es) Needed
The shot above was taken @ 131 mm.
Birds-Eye View From Google Earth Pro
Permits
There are no permits required in the area.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the shot is south by southwest at 215°.
Equipment Needed
A sturdy tripod is very helpful for this shot.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
This spot is off the beaten path for most photographers. However, Factory Butte is a trendy spot, and several other photographers will sometimes be at the location at sunrise/sunset. There is PLENTY of room to handle many photographers to get this shot.
Weather
The area around Factory Butte is a high desert climate at about 5,000 ft. 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
I have Verizon and the cell service from this location is spotty. A stronger cell signal is available as you near Hanksville.
Overnight Camping Options
The area around the Factory Butte is badlands, with the closest towns being Hanksville and Caineville, Utah. There is a small camping area just off of the road to this location (not sure if it is sanctioned by BLM or not) with a makeshift fire pit. There are other camping areas and lodgings in both Hanksville and Caineville. There are 2 motels and 2 RV Parks in Hanksville and 1 hotel in Caineville.
Camping - click on the campground below for directions
Duke's Slickrock Campground & RV Park – 275 E Highway 24, Hanksville, UT 84734
Lodging - click on the lodging below for a TripAdvisor review
Muddy Creek Mining Company
(877) 711-3857
280 E 100 N, Hanksville, UT
Whispering Sands Motel
(435) 542-3238
90 South HW 95, UT
Nearby Restaurants
Hanksville is the closest town and there are a few places to eat there. After a morning shoot, I enjoy a good breakfast (biscuits and gravy) at Duke’s Slickrock Grill in Hanksville. They have great food, and nice people run the place. Stan's Burger Shak makes a good hamburger and a hardy shake, and the Outlaw’s Roost makes great tacos.
Nearby Restaurants - click on the restaurant below for yelp review
Duke’s Slickrock Grill
(435) 542-3235
Stan's Burger Shak
(435) 542-3330
Outlaw’s Roost
(435) 542-1763
Area Guides and Workshops
None