Watching the Sky: How I Use Webcams for Photography Around Moab

Living here in Moab, I’ve found this collection of local webcams to be incredibly useful for planning photography outings. Whether it’s watching for summer storms, checking road conditions in winter, or - sadly - smoke from fires in the western US, these live images give me a real-time feel for what’s happening in the parks and canyons around town.

During the summer, when the skies are often endlessly blue, I keep an eye on the Island in the Sky webcam to monitor cloud development over the La Sal Mountains. A build-up of clouds over the La Sals is usually a good sign that interesting weather - and dramatic light - is on the way. It’s worth noting that this webcam sometimes goes offline for days at a time, so I always check the timestamp to make sure the feed is current. When it’s working, it’s the single most useful webcam I’ve found for spotting great lighting conditions. Note that the current webcam image cannot be embedded in this page, so click on the sample thumbnail to see the current image.

In the winter, when we’re lucky enough to get a little snow, I check the Moab webcams to see if the roads are passable. (Note that desert communities do not have the snow removal equipment that is considered common in the northeastern U.S.) Snow rarely sticks around for more than 24 hours, so if the roads aren’t icy, it’s often a perfect time to head into the parks with camera in hand.

The Arches Entrance Station webcam is also helpful for judging wait times at the park gate. The Timed Entry Reservation System has cut down the traffic significantly, but during the off-season when the system isn’t in place, this cam can be a real time-saver.

But beyond all that, these webcams do something even more important: they remind me that there’s beauty unfolding out there - right now. Sometimes, all it takes is the sight of storm light on the horizon to grab my gear and get going.

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CURRENT WEBCAMS

Note that images that fail to load indicate the webcam is currently offline.

Arches National Park

Moab (From North to South)

Canyonlands National Park – Island in the Sky District

Sample - Please click for current image.

NOTE: The current Canyonlands image cannot be embedded in this page. Click on the sample thumbnail above to see the most current image.

I-70 Webcams Near Moab Exit 181