Located in Elko County, Nevada, Seitz Canyon is a canyon. The nearest town is Spring Creek, about 11.2 km (7.0 mi) away (Seitz Canyon lies SE of town).
Seitz Canyon is one of the major canyons and valleys within the Ruby Mountains of Elko County, in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. Approximately 5.5 miles (8.9 km) in length, it was extensively sculptured by glaciers in previous ice ages. Remote, scenic, and ecologically diverse, it is protected in both the Ruby Mountains Wilderness Area and the Seitz-Echo Research Natural Area. The main branch of Seitz Canyon begins at the summit of Mt. Silliman, at an elevation of 11,250 feet (3,430 m). This high ridge also includes Mt. Gilbert at 11,120 ft (3,390 m), and an unnamed peak at 11,035 ft (3,363 m). The canyon then drops to the north as a spectacular headwall of over 2,000 ft (610 m) to a nearly level basin that includes Seitz Lake. It is here that the greatest evidence for glacial sculpturing can be found. The canyon shows a classic...From the Wikipedia article “Seitz Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Seitz Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:46 AM | 90° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 58° ENE | 8:17 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:30 AM | 89° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 121° ESE | 4:19 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 15m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:46 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:35 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 4:38 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:49 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:00 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:10 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:55 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:43 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:16 PM | 4:47 PM | 9h 17m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Seitz Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 4:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:10 AM – 5:20 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 4:20 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 3:26 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:22 PM – 3:02 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:13 PM – 1:33 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:25 PM – 11:35 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:26 PM – 9:36 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:34 PM – 7:34 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.64 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 64 | 73 | 81 | 92 | 98 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 83 | 70 | 54 |
| Low °F | -18 | -6 | -1 | 15 | 19 | 27 | 42 | 40 | 26 | 8 | -8 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 |
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.
- A long lens on a tripod handles the low light inside canyons better than raising ISO.
- 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 Seitz Canyon, closest first.
Lake
Lake
Mountain Peak
Canyon
Lake
Mountain Peak
Lake
Lake
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Powerhouse Group Picnic Area3.2 km (2.0 mi) · reservable
- Thomas Canyon7.0 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Terraces Campground - Picnic Area10.5 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Seitz Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Seitz Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Seitz Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Seitz Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Seitz Canyon?
How far is Seitz Canyon from Spring Creek?
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.