Logan Canyon is a canyon in Cache County, Utah. It is part of Wasatch–Cache National Forest. It sits roughly 13.5 km (8.4 mi) E of North Logan.
Logan Canyon is a canyon in the western United States in northeastern Utah, which cuts its way through the Bear River Mountains, a branch of the Wasatch Range. It is popular for both summer and winter activities, especially rock-climbing, hiking, camping, fishing, snowmobiling, and skiing, at the Beaver Mountain ski resort. The canyon rises to an elevation of approximately 7,800 feet (2,400 m) above sea level, after a vertical climb of about 2,900 feet (880 m). Just beyond the summit is a steep road leading into Bear Lake Valley and scenic overlooks that provide views of deep blue Bear Lake. The western terminus is at Logan in Cache County and the eastern terminus is at Garden City in Rich County.From the Wikipedia article “Logan Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Logan Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:53 AM | 57° ENE | 9:06 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 122° ESE | 5:00 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 7:21 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:21 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:18 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:36 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:34 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:34 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 10m |
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 Logan Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:57 AM – 5:57 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:58 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:56 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 11:15 PM – 3:35 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:05 PM – 2:15 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:13 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.15 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 53 | 53 | 69 | 75 | 86 | 92 | 97 | 93 | 89 | 80 | 65 | 50 |
| Low °F | -19 | -23 | -4 | 4 | 18 | 25 | 37 | 35 | 22 | 1 | -17 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.9 |
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.
- 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 Logan Canyon, closest first.
National Forest
Wilderness Area
Lake
Mountain Peak
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Preston Valley Campground 1.3 km (0.8 mi) · reservable
- Wood Camp Campground (Ut)1.3 km (0.8 mi) · reservable
- Wood Camp Campground1.3 km (0.8 mi)
- Preston Valley Campground1.3 km (0.8 mi)
- Chokecherry Picnic Area1.7 km (1.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Logan Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Logan Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Logan Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Logan Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Logan Canyon?
How far is Logan Canyon from North Logan?
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.