Robbers Roost — a canyon in Wayne County, Utah — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Moab, about 90 km (56 mi) away (Robbers Roost lies WSW of town).
The Robbers Roost was an outlaw hideout in southeastern Utah used mostly by Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch gang in the closing years of the Old West. The hideout was considered ideal because of the rough terrain. It was easily defended, difficult to navigate into without detection, and excellent when the gang needed a month or longer to rest and lie low following a robbery. While hiding out at Robbers Roost, Elzy Lay and Butch Cassidy first formed the Wild Bunch gang. The Wild Bunch, early on led by Cassidy and his closest friend Elzy Lay, developed contacts inside Utah that gave them easy access to supplies of fresh horses and beef, most notably the ranch owned by outlaw sisters Ann and Josie Bassett. The gang constructed cabins inside Robbers Roost to help shield them from the harsh winters. There, they stored weapons, horses, chickens, and cattle.From the Wikipedia article “Robbers Roost”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Robbers Roost 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) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:34 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:00 AM | 59° ENE | 8:50 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 120° ESE | 5:06 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 7:09 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:28 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:41 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:12 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:33 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 Robbers Roost, 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 | 5:19 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:57 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 5:02 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 4:22 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:44 PM – 3:54 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:37 PM – 2:37 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:56 PM – 12:36 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 10:31 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:13 PM – 8:33 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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 33% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (55%). 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 | 61 | 68 | 79 | 87 | 99 | 104 | 106 | 101 | 100 | 88 | 73 | 62 |
| Low °F | -4 | -3 | 10 | 20 | 26 | 36 | 52 | 49 | 32 | 15 | 9 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Robbers Roost, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Robbers Roost?
What time is golden hour at Robbers Roost?
Where does the sun rise and set at Robbers Roost?
Can you see the Milky Way from Robbers Roost?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Robbers Roost?
How far is Robbers Roost 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.