Located in Salt Lake County, Utah, Neffs Cave is a cave. It sits roughly 1.5 km (0.9 mi) SE of Mount Olympus.
Neffs Cave (or Neffs Canyon Cave) is a cave in Neffs Canyon on the north side of Mount Olympus, directly east of Millcreek, Utah in the United States. It is one of the deepest caves in the United States but is seldom entered despite its depth and its proximity to Salt Lake City. The United States Forest Service has closed the cave to the public for many years due to safety hazards. In 1977, Neffs Canyon Cave was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.From the Wikipedia article “Neffs Cave”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Neffs Cave the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 58° ENE | 9:02 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 121° ESE | 5:04 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 15m |
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
Caves are lit artificially — show caves have fixed lighting, so a fast lens and high ISO beat flash, which flattens formations.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:18 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 17m |
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 Neffs Cave, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:44 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:55 AM – 6:05 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:55 AM – 5:05 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:51 AM – 4:11 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 11:07 PM – 3:47 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:58 PM – 2:18 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 12:20 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 9:11 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.56 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 September as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 50 | 56 | 67 | 74 | 84 | 90 | 96 | 92 | 88 | 79 | 65 | 49 |
| Low °F | -23 | -28 | -14 | -6 | 8 | 22 | 36 | 31 | 19 | 1 | -17 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.3 |
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 cave
- Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
- Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
- Many show caves restrict tripods on tours; ask in advance or bring a small beanbag.
- Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
Suggested gear: Fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8), High-ISO camera, Small beanbag. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Neffs Cave, closest first.
Canyon
Waterfall
Canyon
Wilderness Area
Botanical Garden
WaterfallWaterfall
Canyon
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ledgemere Picnic Area6.0 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Dogwood Day Use6.0 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Birches Picnic Area6.1 km (3.8 mi) · reservable
- Storm Mountain Day Use Area6.5 km (4.0 mi) · reservable
- Jordan Pines11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Neffs Cave?
What time is golden hour at Neffs Cave?
Where does the sun rise and set at Neffs Cave?
Can you see the Milky Way from Neffs Cave?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Neffs Cave?
How far is Neffs Cave from Mount Olympus?
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.