Agua Canyon is a canyon in Garfield County, Utah. It lies in or next to Bryce Canyon National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Panguitch, about 37 km (23 mi) away (Agua Canyon lies SSE of town).
From the National Park Service
At Agua Canyon two prominent hoodoos command attention. On the left, is the taller of the two towers, "The Hunter." To the right is a hoodoo commonly referred to as the "Rabbit" or alternatively the "Backpacker." In the early years of Bryce Canyon National Park a great effort was made to name many of the more prominent hoodoos. Over the years many of these have fallen or partially fallen so that they look nothing like the things they were originally named for. As a result hoodoos are no longer being named and many of the more obscure names are being dropped from newer publications. The good news is that you, the park visitor, now have the liberty to exercise your own creativity. Is the rabbit a backpacker or maybe even a thumb? It's up to you to decide. Let your imagination run! Trails No trails depart from this area. The Agua Connecting Trail is indefinitely closed due to rockslides and extremely unstable conditions. Under-the-Rim Trail in this area is best accessed from Rainbow Point or Whiteman Connecting Trail. Landscape Features To the Southeast Navajo Mountain still looms on the distant horizon over 80 miles (129 km) away near Page, Arizona. Called a laccolith, Navajo Mountain can be thought of as a volcano that never quite happened. As the Colorado Plateau was uplifted over the last 20 million years, a plume of molten rock moved upward from deep inside the Earth causing a swelling much like a large blister. Unlike a volcano, Navajo Mountain never blew its top and so the plume cooled slowly, creating the hard core of the mountain that still exists today. By following the eastern horizon you may be able to see the southern tip of the Kaiparowits plateau, which is separated from Navajo Mountain by the Colorado River within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. To the East Tall, charismatic hoodoos are visible nearly at eye level from this view. These are created from the iron-rich mudstones and limestones of the park's Claron formation through repeated freeze/thaw cycles. Note the presence of limber pines (Pinus flexilis) atop the hoodoo known as "the Hunter", likely cached there as seeds by a Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana). The Paria Valley and the upper steps of the Grand Staircase exposed within it present most of the view beyond. Across the valley, the Table Cliff plateau stands at 10,000 feet (3048 m) and is composed of the same Claro
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Agua Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:09 AM | 59° ENE | 8:54 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 120° ESE | 5:15 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 9h 52m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:16 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:51 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:37 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:50 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Agua Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | 5:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 6:04 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:37 AM – 5:17 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:36 AM – 4:26 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:46 PM – 4:06 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:40 PM – 2:40 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 12:40 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 10:37 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 8:40 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 60 | 64 | 72 | 80 | 90 | 97 | 98 | 96 | 94 | 81 | 70 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | -7 | 0 | 16 | 21 | 29 | 44 | 41 | 25 | 10 | 0 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Agua Canyon, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Natural ArchScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Natural ArchScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Podunk Guard Station4.4 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Kings Creek10.7 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- North Campground (Ut)15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Sunset Campground (Ut)15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- North Campground16.0 km (9.9 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Agua Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Agua Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Agua Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Agua Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Agua Canyon?
How far is Agua Canyon from Panguitch?
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.