Update for May 2008

Road Trip Guide Maps: All of the road trip guides now have maps along with the lists of Towns, Cities & Reservations; Public Lands & Historic Sites; and Landmarks.

Hiking the Paria River Wilderness: I spent five days hiking the Paria River which begins on US Route 89 in southern Utah and ends at the Colorado River in Marble Canyon at Lee's Ferry on US Route 89A. There is a Pop-Up Gallery and information about hiking the Paria on the Page to Kanab Road Trip Guide.

Pictures of the Year

It seems that 2007 was my year to be seduced by clouds. In my travels along US Route 89 I kept finding myself under cloudy skies. I've always loved clouds but have had a hard time integrating them into photographs of the landscape, so that became my challenge for this year. Here is a collection of my favorite photographs from 2007.

Click on a thumbnail to view larger image. Move your mouse to the right side of the photo and click for next; click on the left side for previous.

The eight photographs above are available as fine art photographic prints. These prints are a Limited Edition of 50 in all sizes plus 5 Aritist's Proofs. The prints may be ordered individually throgh the gallery on Panoramic Nature Photography website.

Fine art photography collectors may subscribe in advance to build a portfolio over the three year duration of the project. For details about subscribing, download An Invitation to Fine Art Collectors in pdf format.

Updates for November/December 2007

Quick Guide to the National Parks on US Route 89 in the Road Trip Guides Introduction

We welcome the newest US Route 89 Appreciation Society Business Member, Mighty Imaging. Specializing in large format printing for photographers, corporations and design appreciations, Mighty Imaging will be providing high-resolution scans and fine art prints for the US Route 89 Collector Print series.

Shop for US Route 89 Stuff at Our CafePress Store
Hats, T-shirts, Mugs & Bumper Stickers Emblazoned with the new 89 Logo

Road Trip Guide Updates: October 2007

Maps have been added to the all of the Basin & Range segments. The maps detail the location of towns, parks and landmarks along US Route 89.

Quick Guide photographs are at the top of each of the geographical section introductions. These are pop-up galleries. Here is how they work: Click a photo to enlarge it. On the big image, roll over the right side and click for next, roll over the left side and click for previous. A caption describes the location of each image.

Pop-up Galleries are now included in many of the Road Trip Guides. Where ever you see a thumbnail photo, click on it to see the full-size photo and read the caption for information about the location.

Pop-up Stories are similar to the galleries but have longer captions that tell interesting stories about the location.

Note: Pop-up Galleries require a modern browser: Firefox, Internet Explorer 6+, Opera 8+, Safari 1.3+ and Camino. They are not compatible with the old Internet Explorer 5.5.

Recent Articles About US Route 89

James Cowlin's US Route 89 photography project is featured in the Fall Issue of Photomedia magazine. The article details seven destinations along highway 89 in Arizona and southern Utah along with shooting tips for photographers. The magazine is available at photo labs and supply houses. You can also read it online at PhotoMedia.

National Geographic Adventure, April 2007

In October of last year, writer Mark Sundeen and photographer Jeff Pflueger drove the length of highway 89 from Canada to Mexico. An article recounting their adventures along the road is in the April, 2007, issue of National Geographic Adventure. Mark captured the spirit of the American West when he writes about the special people they met. Jeff’s photos convey the excitement of exploring the many wonderful places along 89. Don’t miss the Adventure Guide and map with details of unique places to visit. Jeff Pflueger and Mark Sundeen

I met with Mark and Jeff in the Peeples Valley between Wickenburg and Prescott. We spent the morning together comparing notes and visiting the folks in Stanton. Here’s what Mark wrote about our conversation:

“Since the interstates have become generic strips of truck plazas and fast-food huts, Cowlin prefers the character of a two-lane highway with its diners and Main Streets and hay bales stacked on roadside farms. “You’ve heard of the Slow Food movement?” he asked me. “What we need is a Slow Road movement.”

Read The Ballad of Route 89 online.
Listen to a radio interview with Mark Sundeen on National Geographic World Talk.
View a photo gallery by Jeff Pflueger & James Cowlin.