Located in Clark County, Nevada, Willow is a canyon at about 1,750 m (5,741 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Pahrump, about 31 km (19 mi) away (Willow lies NE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Willow 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:47 AM | 90° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 60° ENE | 8:05 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:32 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:52 AM | 119° ESE | 4:32 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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 | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 4:55 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:08 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:00 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 5:54 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:59 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:03 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:30 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Willow, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:31 AM – 5:01 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 5:27 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:38 AM – 4:28 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:45 PM – 3:45 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:54 PM – 3:24 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:49 PM – 2:09 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:10 PM – 12:00 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:19 PM – 9:59 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:34 PM – 8:04 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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 ≈ 21.42 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 24% 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 | 72 | 73 | 82 | 89 | 100 | 107 | 106 | 105 | 103 | 91 | 79 | 68 |
| Low °F | 8 | 16 | 22 | 23 | 31 | 38 | 55 | 51 | 37 | 20 | 19 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 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
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Willow, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Canyon
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mcwilliams15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Foxtail Grp Picnic Area15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Mahogany Grove18.5 km (11.5 mi) · reservable
- Hilltop19.3 km (12.0 mi) · reservable
- Cathedral Rock Picnic Area22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Willow?
What time is golden hour at Willow?
Where does the sun rise and set at Willow?
Can you see the Milky Way from Willow?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Willow?
How far is Willow from Pahrump?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.