The Arboretum at Flagstaff — a botanical garden in Coconino County, Arizona — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 7.9 km (4.9 mi) NNW of Kachina Village.
The Arboretum at Flagstaff is a 200-acre (81 ha) arboretum that is home to 750 species of mostly drought-tolerant adapted and native plants representative of the high-desert Colorado Plateau, home to the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. It is located 3.8 miles (6.1 km) south of U.S. Route 66 on Woody Mountain Road, on the west side of Flagstaff, Arizona, US. The facility is located at 7,150' in elevation, making it one of the highest-elevation public gardens in the United States. The Arboretum has an extensive regional collection of the Penstemon genus. The Arboretum was originally forest and a working ranch, and the home of Frances McAllister in the late 1960s. She donated the land and created its financial endowment for the Arboretum in 1981. To support research the Arboretum is also home to the Merriam-Powell Research Station and Southwest Experimental Garden Array.From the Wikipedia article “The Arboretum at Flagstaff”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At The Arboretum at Flagstaff the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:31 AM | 90° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 60° ENE | 7:45 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:16 AM | 89° E | 6:25 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 119° ESE | 5:19 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 47m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:08 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 14h 01m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:13 PM | 14h 31m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:12 PM | 14h 18m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:01 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 48m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From The Arboretum at Flagstaff, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:19 AM – 5:09 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:19 AM – 4:19 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:24 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:31 PM – 3:21 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:27 PM – 1:57 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:50 PM – 11:50 PM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:01 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:18 PM – 7:58 PM | 0.7 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.33 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 69 | 73 | 84 | 90 | 101 | 106 | 106 | 104 | 102 | 91 | 80 | 71 |
| Low °F | 4 | 3 | 14 | 22 | 28 | 39 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 18 | 12 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this botanical garden
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of The Arboretum at Flagstaff, closest first.
Fire Lookout
State Park
Dark Sky Place
Mountain Peak
Fire Lookout
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Scenic ViewpointMountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Canyon Vista12.7 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
- Pine Flat Campground West16.4 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
- Cave Spring18.2 km (11.3 mi) · reservable
- Fernow Cabin19.3 km (12.0 mi) · reservable
- Little Elden Springs Horsecamp19.4 km (12.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
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Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.