Weber Canyon Photography Guide
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41.1358° N111.9040° WBortle 6Denver

Weber Canyon Photography Guide

Canyon in Weber County, Utah

  • Bortle 6 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 239°–303°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Unknown author · Public domain · source

Weber Canyon is a canyon in Weber County, Utah. It sits roughly 1.9 km (1.2 mi) ESE of Uintah.

Weber Canyon is a canyon in the Wasatch Range near Ogden, Utah, through which the Weber River flows west toward the Great Salt Lake. It is fed by 13 tributary creeks and is 40 miles (64 km) long.From the Wikipedia article “Weber Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Uintah
1.9 km (1.2 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 6
Bright suburban sky
Clearest month
July
34% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:11 PM
sunset 6:48 PM

Light at Weber Canyon

Live
Sunrise
7:45 AM
Sunset
6:41 PM
Golden hour AM
7:28 AM – 8:23 AM
Golden hour PM
6:03 PM – 6:58 PM
Blue hour AM
7:17 AM – 7:28 AM
Blue hour PM
6:58 PM – 7:09 PM
Full darkness
8:13 PM – 6:15 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:59 PM / 1:46 AM
Day length
10h 55m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Weber Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:32 AM90° E7:40 PM271° W49°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:56 AM57° ENE9:04 PM303° WNW72°15h 09m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:16 AM89° E7:26 PM271° W49°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:50 AM121° ESE5:03 PM239° WSW25°9h 12m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:21 AM7:51 AM8:34 AM4:41 PM5:24 PM5:54 PM9h 33m
February6:55 AM7:23 AM8:02 AM5:24 PM6:02 PM6:30 PM10h 39m
March7:13 AM7:40 AM8:17 AM6:58 PM7:35 PM8:02 PM11h 54m
April6:20 AM6:49 AM7:26 AM7:31 PM8:08 PM8:36 PM13h 19m
May5:39 AM6:10 AM6:50 AM8:00 PM8:39 PM9:11 PM14h 29m
June5:22 AM5:55 AM6:37 AM8:21 PM9:03 PM9:36 PM15h 07m
July5:36 AM6:09 AM6:49 AM8:19 PM9:00 PM9:32 PM14h 51m
August6:08 AM6:38 AM7:16 AM7:50 PM8:28 PM8:58 PM13h 50m
September6:41 AM7:09 AM7:45 AM7:02 PM7:39 PM8:06 PM12h 30m
October7:12 AM7:40 AM8:17 AM6:11 PM6:48 PM7:16 PM11h 08m
November6:47 AM7:16 AM7:57 AM4:29 PM5:10 PM5:39 PM9h 54m
December7:16 AM7:47 AM8:31 AM4:16 PM5:01 PM5:32 PM9h 14m

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 Weber Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:45 AM – 5:45 AM0.010°SE → SE
March4:57 AM – 5:57 AM1.016°SE → SSE
April2:57 AM – 5:07 AM2.219°SE → S
May12:54 AM – 4:14 AM3.320°SE → S
June11:12 PM – 3:42 AM4.520°SSE → SSW
July11:02 PM – 2:22 AM3.320°S → SW
August10:13 PM – 12:13 AM2.019°S → SW
September9:13 PM – 10:13 PM1.016°SSW → SW
October8:20 PM – 8:20 PM0.010°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
DecemberBelow 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.2 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F535369758692979389806550
Low °F-19-23-4418253735221-17-20
Precip. (in)1.71.71.72.02.01.20.71.01.61.61.61.9

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

  • 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.
  • 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.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Weber Canyon, closest first.

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Weber Canyon?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
What time is golden hour at Weber Canyon?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:11 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:48 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:17 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Weber Canyon?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 57° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 303° to 239°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Weber Canyon?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Weber Canyon?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Weber Canyon from Uintah?
About 1.9 km (1.2 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.