Located in Coconino County, Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park is a dark sky place. It lies in or next to Grand Canyon National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 1.6 km (1.0 mi) E of Grand Canyon. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Grand Canyon National Park is a national park of the United States located in northwestern Arizona, the 15th site to have been named as a national park. The park's central feature is the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, which is often considered one of the Wonders of the World. The park, which covers 1,217,262 acres (1,901.972 sq mi; 4,926.08 km2) of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties, received more than 4.9 million recreational visitors in 2024. The Grand Canyon was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. The park celebrated its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2019.From the Wikipedia article “Grand Canyon National Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Grand Canyon National Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:33 AM | 90° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 60° ENE | 7:49 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:17 AM | 89° E | 6:27 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 119° ESE | 5:18 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 42m |
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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:29 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:18 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:16 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:20 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:03 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 43m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), 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 Grand Canyon National Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:21 AM – 5:11 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:22 AM – 4:22 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:28 PM – 3:38 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:37 PM – 3:17 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:31 PM – 1:51 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:54 PM – 11:54 PM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:04 PM – 9:44 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:19 PM – 7:49 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 65 | 69 | 81 | 87 | 97 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 100 | 87 | 75 | 64 |
| Low °F | 4 | -2 | 17 | 20 | 25 | 38 | 50 | 47 | 32 | 17 | 14 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
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 dark sky place
- Use the Milky Way table to find months and hours when the core is above the horizon.
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. 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 40 km of Grand Canyon National Park, closest first.
Canyon
Scenic Viewpoint
Natural ArchScenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Rock Formation
CanyonScenic Viewpoint
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mather Campground636 m · reservable
- Trailer Village Rv Park - South Rim687 m
- Tusayan - Montane13.2 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
- North Rim Campground (Az)18.1 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Hull Cabin18.5 km (11.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Grand Canyon National Park?
What time is golden hour at Grand Canyon National Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Grand Canyon National Park?
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Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via 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.