Arizona: Querino Canyon Bridge is a canyon in Apache County, Arizona. It sits roughly 6.5 km (4.0 mi) WSW of Houck.
From the National Park Service
The Querino Canyon Bridge is picturesquely situated over a rugged and beautiful canyon just outside Houck, Arizona. Designed by the Arizona Highway Department, the bridge is a representative example of early highway truss design: 77 feet long, 20 feet wide, and comprised of a concrete-decked steel trestle with three Pratt deck trusses supported by steel piers. Concrete abutments support the bridge from below and steel lattice guardrails typical of the period line the roadway.
The State built the bridge in 1929 as part of a grand rehabilitation and relocation of Route 66 across northern Arizona. The project included several bridges, drainage construction, and at least 25 miles of roadway. The largest of these multiple efforts, the bridge over Querino Canyon formed an integral link on one of America’s primary arteries.
This section of the highway became a county road during the 1960s after construction of Interstate 40. The Querino Canyon Bridge remains intact, carrying local traffic on Navajo Nation land. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Site Information Location (The Querino Canyon Bridge crosses Querino Canyon 3.8 miles southwest of Houck, AZ as part of Old Highway 66.) More Site Information National Historic Trails
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Arizona: Querino Canyon Bridge 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) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:04 AM | 60° ENE | 8:36 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 119° ESE | 5:09 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 46m |
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
Canyons need light from above: rims glow at sunrise and sunset, while deep or narrow sections are brightest near midday when reflected light bounces off the walls.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 02m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 01m |
| June | 5:33 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 31m |
| July | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 19m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 48m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Arizona: Querino Canyon Bridge, 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:09 AM – 5:09 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:14 AM – 4:24 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:21 PM – 4:11 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:17 PM – 2:47 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:40 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 10:41 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:48 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 25% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (53%). 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 | 62 | 67 | 78 | 85 | 95 | 101 | 100 | 98 | 96 | 86 | 75 | 65 |
| Low °F | -1 | -3 | 14 | 19 | 24 | 35 | 50 | 47 | 31 | 14 | 11 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
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 canyon
- Check flash flood forecasts before entering slot or narrow canyons — rain miles away can flood them.
- Dust and sand are hard on gear; change lenses in a bag or with your back to the wind.
- A long lens on a tripod handles the low light inside canyons better than raising ISO.
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Wide and telephoto lenses, Lens blower, Weather radio or app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Arizona: Querino Canyon Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Arizona: Querino Canyon Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Arizona: Querino Canyon Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Arizona: Querino Canyon Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Arizona: Querino Canyon Bridge?
How far is Arizona: Querino Canyon Bridge from Houck?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.