Madera Canyon is a canyon in Pima County, Arizona at about 1,367 m (4,485 ft) above sea level. It is part of Coronado National Forest. The nearest town is Arivaca Junction, about 11.4 km (7.1 mi) away (Madera Canyon lies E of town).
Madera Canyon is a canyon in the northwestern face of the Santa Rita Mountains, twenty-five miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona. As part of the Coronado National Forest, Madera Canyon has campsites, picnic areas, and miles of hiking trails. The canyon is also used as a resting place for migrating birds, and it is thus known as a premier birdwatching area. Madera Canyon was originally named White House Canyon, after a prominent white adobe house was built there in the late 19th century. The canyon was renamed sometime in the early 1900s, although some locals still use the original name.From the Wikipedia article “Madera Canyon (Arizona)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Madera Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:28 AM | 90° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:20 AM | 62° ENE | 7:33 PM | 299° WNW | 82° | 14h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:13 AM | 89° E | 6:22 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 117° ESE | 5:25 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 04m |
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 | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 18m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:31 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 5:01 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 46m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:19 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 8:00 PM | 14h 13m |
| July | 5:02 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:59 PM | 14h 02m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:34 PM | 13h 19m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:41 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:56 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:17 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 33m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 05m |
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 Madera Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:43 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:04 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:58 AM – 4:28 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 10:58 PM – 3:48 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:11 PM – 3:31 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:08 PM – 2:08 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:37 PM – 12:07 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 7:53 PM – 10:03 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:14 PM – 8:04 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.23 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (62%). June 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 | 76 | 83 | 86 | 95 | 104 | 109 | 105 | 103 | 100 | 95 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 17 | 11 | 22 | 31 | 36 | 49 | 59 | 59 | 49 | 28 | 20 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
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 Madera Canyon, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
Cave
State Park
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Dark Sky PlaceCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Kent Springs Cabin7.0 km (4.3 mi) · reservable
- Kentucky Camp Cabin And Headquarters Building18.9 km (11.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Madera Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Madera Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Madera Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Madera Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Madera Canyon?
How far is Madera Canyon from Arivaca Junction?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.