There are some great places out west that are not as well known and are off the beaten path, including one of my favorites, Great Basin National Park. Great Basin is located on the Nevada/Utah border and is a mountain oasis in an otherwise empty land. In addition the the great hiking and photo opportunities, going to Great Basin was always a nice getaway from the heat and crowds of Zion.
There are also photos here from a couple other desert gems - Death Valley and the Mojave Desert.