Grandstaff Canyon is a canyon in Grand County, Utah. It lies in or next to Arches National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 4.1 km (2.5 mi) NNE of Moab.
Grandstaff Canyon (called Nigger Bill Canyon from the late 19th century until the 1960s, and Negro Bill Canyon until 2017) is a canyon in southern Grand County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Colorado River watershed. Its stream flows directly into the main channel of the Colorado River within Moab Canyon.From the Wikipedia article “Grandstaff Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Grandstaff 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 302° (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) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 59° ENE | 8:47 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:07 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:33 AM | 120° ESE | 5:01 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 7:04 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:37 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:34 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Grandstaff 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 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 | 5:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:10 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:42 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:25 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:29 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: 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 ≈ 20.96 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
- 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.
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Grandstaff Canyon, closest first.
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural Arch
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Rock Formation
Rock FormationNatural Arch
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Grandstaff Campground411 m
- 562 m · reservable
- 2.3 km (1.5 mi) · reservable
- Goose Island Campground2.3 km (1.5 mi)
- Goose Island Group Sites2.3 km (1.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Grandstaff Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Grandstaff Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Grandstaff Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Grandstaff Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Grandstaff Canyon?
How far is Grandstaff Canyon from Moab?
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.