Canyon Diablo — a canyon in Coconino County, Arizona — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is LeChee, about 36 km (23 mi) away (Canyon Diablo lies NW of town).
Canyon Diablo, previously named "Cañon Diablo", is a canyon that winds through the Colorado Plateau approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Flagstaff in northern Arizona. It is an example of an incised meander, a river bend carved into the plateau by erosion, creating a gorge. Portions of the canyon experience an ephemeral stream and act as a tributary to the Little Colorado River. Archeologists have discovered evidence of human settlements belonging to both the older Desert Archaic peoples and the more recent Sinagua people from the 12th century. In the 19th century, several Old West ghost towns were established on the rim of the canyon, including Canyon Diablo and Two Guns. Today, the 81-mile (130 km) canyon lies within both Coconino County and the Navajo Nation.From the Wikipedia article “Canyon Diablo (canyon)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Canyon Diablo 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) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:10 AM | 60° ENE | 8:43 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 119° ESE | 5:16 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 | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 02m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 01m |
| June | 5:40 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 32m |
| July | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 19m |
| August | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 47m |
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 Canyon Diablo, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 6:06 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 5:16 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 4:31 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:28 PM – 4:18 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:54 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 12:47 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:48 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 8:55 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.83 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 December as the cloudiest (50%). 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 | 66 | 72 | 82 | 89 | 99 | 106 | 104 | 103 | 100 | 89 | 79 | 68 |
| Low °F | 5 | 3 | 17 | 21 | 28 | 40 | 53 | 52 | 36 | 17 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
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
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Canyon Diablo, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Canyon Diablo?
What time is golden hour at Canyon Diablo?
Where does the sun rise and set at Canyon Diablo?
Can you see the Milky Way from Canyon Diablo?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Canyon Diablo?
How far is Canyon Diablo from LeChee?
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.