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Our Guide’s Favorite Trips in the United States

by Keenan Hursh
At Backcountry Journeys we run tons of world-class photography trips all over the planet. Every single trip we run is carefully curated and designed to visit the absolute best locations for photography at the perfect times of year. We’re also constantly adding new trips to exciting locations, so be on the lookout for upcoming releases and announcements!

Of course, all of our workshops, tours, and safaris meet or exceed our high standards but at the end of the day we each have our own photographic styles and preferences, so naturally some of these locations will stand out amongst the rest depending on who you are and what you’re looking for. I always find it fascinating to see which trips truly stand out as exceptional and catch the eyes of respective photographers.

In today’s article, we’re going to do just that. We’re going to take a look at a handful of BCJ trips that get a very specific group of photographers excited. The group in question has collectively been on more BCJ trips than anyone and these individuals know these trips and locations like the backs of their hands. I’m talking of course about our very own Backcountry Journeys guides.

Our guides, or Photography Trip Leaders, have traveled the world with their cameras, leading the best photography trips in the business. They are professional nature, wildlife, and landscape photographers with years of experience, knowledge, and expertise under their belts. Additionally, they have a better grasp on the trips we offer than anyone else.

Let's take a look at 10 specific BCJ trips within the United States that our guides are particularly excited about. Some of these trips are relatively new and some of them have been running for years. Of course, there are plenty of other incredible trips offered by BCJ, but this is merely a list of 10 trips that stand out to the best guides in the industry at the time of writing this article. It’s also worth noting that this list is being presented in no particular order.

With that being said, let’s get right into it and take a look at our guide’s favorite trips in the United States!

Birds & Wildlife of the Everglades

If you’re passionate about wildlife photography and want to capture stunning images of an incredibly diverse collection of species, then look no further than our Everglades trip. This is a wildlife-focused workshop that spends 6 days exploring the Florida Everglades. Whether you’d like to capture images of caiman poking their heads out of the water, raccoons digging through the mud, bottle-nosed dolphins jumping out of the water, or the countless species of birds in the area, there’s no shortage of exceptional wildlife subjects here.

All of the guides I’ve spoken with who have led this trip only have good things to say. They’re consistently pleasantly surprised at how many exceptional wildlife encounters and photo opportunities exist on this trip. Some have said that it even rivals international destinations such as Costa Rica when it comes to the sheer abundance of wildlife!

Learn more about our Birds & Wildlife of the Everglades trip!

Spring in Yellowstone and Grand Teton

If you’re passionate about both wildlife and landscape photography and want a trip that focuses on both, then you’re in luck. Our Spring in Yellowstone & Grand Teton workshop explores the best locations in both parks and takes advantage of all of the opportunities that springtime in the Rocky Mountains has to offer. Timed perfectly with the arrival of newborn animals and increased wildlife activity and exceptional backdrops and landscapes filled with snowcapped mountains and lush green valleys, this 8-day trip really is the best of both worlds.

Our guides always seem to come back satisfied from this trip with memory cards full of exceptional wildlife images and stunning landscape compositions. Spring is one of the absolute best times to visit both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and our guides absolutely love this trip!

Learn more about our Spring in Yellowstone & Grand Teton trip!

Yosemite in Winter

Another exceptional trip that’s been very popular amongst both guides and guests is our Yosemite in Winter workshop. This is a 6-day trip that visits one of the most stunning and jaw-dropping landscapes on earth during a time of year that most people will never see. Yosemite is a landscape unlike anywhere else on earth and should be on the shortlist of anyone passionate about landscape photography. On top of that, there’s plenty of wildlife roaming the valley floor throughout the winter and our trips are timed perfectly to coincide with an incredibly unique and stunning natural phenomenon: Yosemite’s FirefallsThis is an incredible event that occurs every year where, for a brief 2-week period, Horsetail Falls becomes perfectly illuminated by the light of the setting sun and explodes with color as if being ignited into flame.

Our guides have loved this trip for a long time and the excitement has only grown over the years. Whether you’d like to photograph iconic landscape shots with a blanket of snow covering the valley or capture the image of a lifetime photographing the legendary Firefalls, you won’t be disappointed with Yosemite in winter.

Learn more about our Yosemite in Winter trip!

Night Skies of Joshua Tree

An extremely popular and beloved trip with a very niche focus on astrophotography is our Night Skies of Joshua Tree workshop. If you’ve been dreaming of expanding your portfolio, learning the ins and outs of long-exposure photography, or simply want a unique and exciting experience, then look no further. This 5-day workshop will venture out in the dead of night, after the sun has set, to photograph some of the clearest and brightest night skies on Earth.

Whether it’s stunning images of the Milky Way galaxy strung across the sky, or compelling star trail compositions portraying the passage of time, our guides have sent in many incredible images from this trip. They always seem to have great things to say about photographing the night sky in the deserts of Joshua Tree National Park!

Learn more about our Night Skies of Joshua Tree trip!

Death Valley: Land of Extremes

And speaking of the desert, another incredible trip offered here at BCJ that our guides absolutely love is one that visits one of the most extreme environments on earth: Death Valley. If you’re a passionate landscape photographer and want to capture truly desolate, beautiful, and otherworldly images, then this trip is perfect for you!

Our guides, especially the desert dwellers, have reached out to me about this trip countless times. Death Valley is an absolutely massive area with seemingly infinite landscape photo opportunities and because of this our guides keep wanting to get on this trip year after year.

Learn more about our Death Valley: Land of Extremes trip!

Marine Wildlife of Alaska

If we head far to the north, away from the dry and desolate deserts of the American Southwest we’ll arrive in a completely different environment that is equally as beautiful and compelling. Another favorite destination here at BCJ is southeast Alaska. We offer countless trips in this region and our founders, Russ and Crystal, actually call this wild corner of the globe home. All of our Alaska trips are incredible but one that has really stood out recently has to be our Marine Wildlife of Alaska workshop. This 6-day trip exposes our guests and guides to incredible wildlife photo opportunities on the coasts of Alaska with stunning backdrops featuring mountains and glaciers as far as the eye can see.

Our guides are consistently sending in incredible images from this trip, and I’ve only heard great things! If you’re looking for a unique and immersive Alaska wildlife experience then this is it.

Learn more about our Marine Wildlife of Alaska trip!

Ultimate Northern Lights

While we’re up north in the great state of Alaska, there is of course another exceptional trip that our guides are always eager to lead. This trip is also timed perfectly to coincide with another incredible natural phenomenon: the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights. Our Ultimate Northern Lights workshop takes place over the course of 7 days in the heart of Alaska. Each night we’ll depart from Fairbanks, one of the best places on earth to see the Aurora, in search of clear skies and beautiful foregrounds. The northern lights occur throughout the year but we’ve strategically timed this trip to align with ideal weather windows and conditions that are perfect for capturing stunning images.

Our guides genuinely enjoy this trip and have sent in many stunning and compelling images of the northern lights over the years. This is a truly unique photography workshop that we’re proud to offer and if you’ve never seen or photographed the Aurora for yourself I implore you to head north with your camera and join us for the adventure of a lifetime!

Learn more about our Ultimate Northern Lights trip!

The Redwoods of California

Although this trip may be relatively new, having been released within the last year, it’s already becoming a favorite amongst BCJ guides. Our Redwoods of California photography workshop focuses on photographing some of the largest living organisms on earth and the unique habitats they create. Over the course of 5 days, we’ll travel to stunning locations shrouded with coastal mist and full of both towering giants and lush undergrowth below.

The guides who have had the pleasure of running this workshop have come back with massive smiles on their faces and stunning images. If you’ve been dreaming of photographing California’s iconic redwoods then this trip is a no-brainer!

Learn more about our Redwoods of California trip!

Night Skies of the Southwest

Another immensely popular, astrophotography-focused, trip that many of our guides adore is our Night Skies of the Southwest workshop. On this trip, we’re not confined to one location but explore several iconic areas of the American Southwest in search of clear night skies and abstract desert foregrounds. Whether it’s an image of the legendary bonsai tree in Zion National Park with the Milky Way galaxy behind it, or perhaps a star trail shot with a towering hoodoo centered perfectly in the middle, the photography opportunities on this trip are seemingly endless.

Our guides have been sending in compelling images from this trip year after year and love the diversity in locations and photo opportunities that are built into the itinerary. When it comes to astrophotography and capturing long-exposure images it’s hard to beat this exceptional trip.

Learn more about our Night Skies of the Southwest trip!

Spring in the Great Smoky Mountains

And last but certainly not least, we’ll head over to the Eastern United States to the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an incredible pocket of wilderness that’s tucked away in the developed world of the Eastern U.S. And, similar to many pockets of wilderness, spring is arguably the best time of year to travel here. Animals are out and about after a long winter and the wildlife photography opportunities are abundant, to say the least. On top of that, the Great Smoky Mountains are home to some truly remarkable landscapes full of seemingly infinite layers of rolling mountains and hills. If you want to photograph abundant wildlife and picturesque landscapes, then this trip is for you.

All of the guides I’ve spoken with who have led this trip have returned pleasantly surprised. Even those who have led countless trips in the Rockies and Alaska have been impressed with this place and the incredible nature photography opportunities within. On top of that, they are consistently sending in stunning images from each and every departure we run in the Smoky Mountains.

Learn more about our Spring in the Great Smoky Mountains trip!

Conclusion

Alright, and there we have it. This has been our curated list of 10 BCJ photography trips that our guides are particularly excited about. These are 10 workshops that the best photography guides in the business are consistently excited to lead and would happily lead again. Of course, we have plenty of other exceptional trips all over the world but if you’re looking for some direction on which trip to book, right here in the United States, then I hope this list has been helpful. Our guides know our trips better than anyone else and if these trips stand out as exceptional in their eyes, you’re sure to be impressed.

We hope to see you out there, on a world-class photography adventure, sometime soon! Until Next time.

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 AUTHOR 

Keenan Hursh is a Photographer, visual designer, and creative story teller based out of Bozeman, Montana. He draws inspiration from his frequent excursions into the natural world and always brings his camera along to capture whatever adventures he finds himself in. Keenan is passionate about documenting and sharing fleeting moments from the natural world and focuses primarily on wildlife, landscape, and adventure photography.

When it comes to gear, he primarily shoots digital with his Canon EOS R5 and EOS 6D mark ii but also has several 35mm film cameras that get out every now and then.

At a very young age, Keenan started bringing a camera along on his excursions and immediately fell in love with the art of photography. He started out with his parent’s cheap point and shoot and has continuously improved his craft and gear refining his shooting style and producing more compelling and intriguing images.

Growing up in the foothills of Boulder, Colorado, surrounded by mountains and wilderness, Keenan has developed a deep passion for many outdoor activities. When he’s not out on a shoot or using his camera, Keenan enjoys skiing, climbing, hiking, backpacking, cycling, whitewater rafting, and paragliding. If he’s outside, away from the distractions of society and civilization, he’s in his happy place.

Keenan studied Emergent Digital Practices at the University of Denver while minoring in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Since earning his degree in 2019 he was worked with a wide range of clients, companies, and organizations throughout his career. Apart from photography he specializes in content creation, writing, brand development, and graphic design.

You can view Keenan’s portfolio on his website at www.keenanhurshphoto.com

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DETAILED ITINERARY
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.

- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
CONTACT US
Monday-Friday
8am to 4pm Mountain Time
928-478-1521
adventure@backcountryjourneys.com

TRIP CATALOG

Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.

All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLCs - Copyright 2024
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2024
CONTACT US
Monday-Friday
8am to 4pm Mountain Time
928-478-1521
adventure@backcountryjourneys.com

TRIP CATALOG

Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.

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