First Creek Waterfall

Greenery and water are pretty hard to come across in Las Vegas, but the pool / waterfall at First Creek can be quite gorgeous for those brave enough to jump in some freezing water. The spot is so very versatile, you can easily end up shooting a dozen different looks in one spot.




As I mentioned above, the water is FREEZING, but it really is one of the best places around town to shoot if you're going for a nice, nature-ey, outdoorsy location. There are so many different "sets" in the same small area, it's easy to shoot a lot of different looks in the same spot.

It's well shaded, so it's easy to get soft looks, and dark enough where one speedlite can easily give you all the juice you'll need. This is a double win, cause you'll be carrying everything with you on a 30 minute or so hike. It's fairly flat, but it can get rough in the warmer moths. It's very much worth it, though.

The First Creek trailhead is just past Red Rock, towards Bonnie Springs - 4.3 miles past the entrance to the park. You'll see a trailhead for Oak Creek, then First Creek on the right hand side of the road.

Park along the road at the trailhead (there's always half a dozen or so cars whenever I've been there, it's a popular hike) grab your gear and start walking. Getting to the actual waterfall is a bit tricky though, since it's off the actual trail. (click for larger view)

Halfway along the hike, there's a spot where you take off from the main trail, and take a smaller offshoot. You're looking for the first Pinyon Pine along the ridge to the right of the trail. Just before that tree, there's a small trail that goes down into the small canyon and heads straight to the waterfall. Most people on this hike stay to the trail, and never find the waterfall, so it's usually fairly empty.

SPOT RESERVED FOR A PHOTO OF THE TREE, AND WHERE TO GO OFF

Since the water is all fed from snowmelt, there are two things to consider. A) the water is freaking freezing, both from the cold water, and the fact that the pool hardly receives any sunlight due to its location (it's in a mini box canyon, tucked into the corner.) Be prepared to have your models cursing like sailors if you throw them in (I am a mean, mean, man, so I do it anyways.)

B) The water level is higher in the spring, and tapers off over the summer, though there's something there year round. Each season has its benefits. If you look at the picture of Sonja at the top of the page, the greenery starts above her head since the water level is low mid-autumn when we shot. However, this allows her to get back further in the pool and not be in too deep.

If you look at the image below, shot late spring - the water level is much higher, all the way up to the greenery. You've got to stay in shallower depths, further from the back walls. It's different, but each has its benefits. It's definitely worth a few trips to see what else it has to offer.

ASIDE FROM THE WATER

Aside from the water, there are SO many different spots in the area that are worth shooting. Loads of greenery, interesting rock formations, and a really nice outdoorsy, NOT-Vegas feel. Have a look through the user-contributed images below for more ideas of what's out there.

MORE TO COME.