Share article:
Share article:

The Crack

The Crack
© Miles Hecker

CLICK ABOVE IMAGE TO SEE GOOGLE MAP LOCATION

SEASONS

The Left Fork of North Creek is home to The Subway. The Subway is a slot canyon cut deep in the Navajo Sandstone walls of the Left Fork Canyon. It’s floor is an ebony like fossilized lake bed of the Kayenta Formation. It’s light at the proper time, has a neon hue reminiscent of a great natural cathedral. It’s pools, glow with a turquoise shimmer. It is a truly visual potpourri of the first order.

Going to The Subway requires a permit and a nine mile round trip strenuous hike. Information on getting a permit can be foundhere.

The Subway is legendary in the pantheon of southwest photo locations, but about 200 yards before you reach the Subway, you pass The Crack. The Crack is a fault line in the Kayenta Formation floor of the canyon. It is deep enough to swallow most of the creek when flow is low. It makes for a fascinating visual contrast betwen rock and running water. If you like macro landscape photography, this is an opportunity like no other I have seen.

The above photo was taken with a focal length equivalent to 45mm on a 35mm full frame camera.This area is best photographed in summer and fall. I would pick the third week in October through the first week in November as the best time for fall color.

TIMES

Photography is best at this site late in the morning.

LENS & FILTERS

LENS: 17-35 mm for 35mm camera, 10-20mm for crop sensor camera

FILMS

Slide films: Fuji Velvia 100 or Ektachrome 100SW

Read this story and all the best stories on The Luminous Landscape

The author has made this story available to Luminous Landscape members only. Upgrade to get instant access to this story and other benefits available only to members.

Why choose us?

Luminous-Landscape is a membership site. Our website contains over 5300 articles on almost every topic, camera, lens and printer you can imagine. Our membership model is simple, just $2 a month ($24.00 USD a year). This $24 gains you access to a wealth of information including all our past and future video tutorials on such topics as Lightroom, Capture One, Printing, file management and dozens of interviews and travel videos.

  • New Articles every few days
  • All original content found nowhere else on the web
  • No Pop Up Google Sense ads – Our advertisers are photo related
  • Download/stream video to any device
  • NEW videos monthly
  • Top well-known photographer contributors
  • Posts from industry leaders
  • Speciality Photography Workshops
  • Mobile device scalable
  • Exclusive video interviews
  • Special vendor offers for members
  • Hands On Product reviews
  • FREE – User Forum. One of the most read user forums on the internet
  • Access to our community Buy and Sell pages; for members only.
Share article:

You may also like

canon dual pixel D featured
Camera & Technology

Canon's Autofocus Pixels Goes 3D

Dual Pixel 3D Converter turns one still into a 3D model. Here's how it works, how to shoot for it, and why a slightly gimmicky tool has me excited.
Jon Swindall

Jon Swindall

·

September 18, 2026

·

7 minutes read


Cover photo entrance to Reggae lane
Techniques

The Reggae mural, its photography and installation at Oakwood LRT Station, Toronto

FacebookTweet Toronto has first-rate mural artists of numerous cultural backgrounds, many of whom grew over the years from a graffiti tradition and/or formal training in...
Mark Segal

Mark Segal

·

September 16, 2026

·

12 minutes read