Buck Canyon: Tracks in the Canyon is a canyon in Grand County, Utah. It lies in or next to Canyonlands National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 37 km (23 mi) SW of Moab.
From the National Park Service
Human activities have changed the face of Canyonlands. Livestock grazing in the late 19th century altered plant communities. The roads and seismic lines you see below were constructed in the 1950s in a search for uranium and oil. Mining and grazing activities eventually ceased with the creation of Canyonlands National Park, but the impacts of are still visible today.
Desert plants endure poor soil, infrequent rain, intense heat, and strong winds. Annual precipitation is less than 10 inches. Because of these challenges, seeds only germinate once every few years. this means that desert plant communities recover very slowly from any disturbance.
Grazing has ceased, mining has stopped, abandon roads have been closed, and backcountry travel is regulated. Natural revegetation is slowly repairing these impacts. Visual rehabilitation has begun to conceal the scars on the landscape, but full biological recovery will take many years in this arid environment.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Buck Canyon: Tracks in the 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 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 59° ENE | 8:47 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 120° ESE | 5:03 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:05 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:24 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 31m |
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 Buck Canyon: Tracks in the Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 4:19 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:34 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 12:33 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 59 | 62 | 77 | 85 | 98 | 102 | 104 | 100 | 98 | 87 | 73 | 59 |
| Low °F | -7 | -8 | 8 | 18 | 22 | 34 | 48 | 47 | 32 | 7 | 8 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Buck Canyon: Tracks in the Canyon, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Rock FormationScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Canyonlands National Park Needles District Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Hatch Point Campground22 km (14 mi)
- Indian Creek Falls Group Site23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Hamburger Rock Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Cowboy Camp Campground25 km (15 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Buck Canyon: Tracks in the Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Buck Canyon: Tracks in the Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Buck Canyon: Tracks in the Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Buck Canyon: Tracks in the Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Buck Canyon: Tracks in the Canyon?
How far is Buck Canyon: Tracks in the Canyon from Moab?
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.