View of Tonto National Monument — in Gila County, Arizona. US NPS photo [1]
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33.6569° N111.0940° WBortle 3Phoenix

Tonto National Monument Photography Guide

Dark Sky Place in Gila County, Arizona

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–299°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Unknown author · Public domain · source

Tonto National Monument — a dark sky place in Gila County, Arizona — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Tonto National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Tonto Basin, about 27 km (17 mi) away (Tonto National Monument lies SE of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.

Tonto National Monument is a National Monument in the Superstition Mountains, in Gila County of central Arizona. The area lies on the northeastern edge of the Sonoran Desert ecoregion, an arid habitat with annual rainfall of about 16 inches (400 mm). The Salt River runs through this area, providing a rare, year-round source of water.From the Wikipedia article “Tonto National Monument”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Tonto Basin
27 km (17 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
June
18% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:18 PM
sunset 5:52 PM

Light at Tonto National Monument

Live
Sunrise
6:34 AM
Sunset
5:46 PM
Golden hour AM
6:18 AM – 7:08 AM
Golden hour PM
5:12 PM – 6:01 PM
Blue hour AM
6:09 AM – 6:18 AM
Blue hour PM
6:01 PM – 6:11 PM
Full darkness
7:09 PM – 5:11 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
2:45 PM / 12:58 AM
Day length
11h 12m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Phoenix. 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 Tonto National Monument the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:29 AM90° E6:36 PM271° W56°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:15 AM61° ENE7:39 PM299° WNW80°14h 23m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:13 AM89° E6:23 PM271° W57°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:26 AM118° ESE5:21 PM242° WSW33°9h 55m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:02 AM7:29 AM8:07 AM5:02 PM5:39 PM6:06 PM10h 10m
February6:44 AM7:10 AM7:44 AM5:35 PM6:09 PM6:35 PM11h 00m
March6:11 AM6:36 AM7:09 AM6:00 PM6:33 PM6:57 PM11h 57m
April5:29 AM5:54 AM6:28 AM6:22 PM6:56 PM7:21 PM13h 01m
May4:57 AM5:25 AM6:00 AM6:43 PM7:19 PM7:46 PM13h 54m
June4:45 AM5:14 AM5:51 AM7:00 PM7:37 PM8:06 PM14h 23m
July4:57 AM5:26 AM6:02 AM7:00 PM7:36 PM8:05 PM14h 11m
August5:21 AM5:47 AM6:21 AM6:38 PM7:12 PM7:39 PM13h 25m
September5:44 AM6:09 AM6:41 AM6:00 PM6:32 PM6:57 PM12h 24m
October6:05 AM6:30 AM7:03 AM5:18 PM5:52 PM6:17 PM11h 22m
November6:31 AM6:57 AM7:33 AM4:47 PM5:23 PM5:49 PM10h 26m
December6:55 AM7:22 AM8:01 AM4:40 PM5:18 PM5:46 PM9h 56m

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 Tonto National Monument, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February5:03 AM – 5:43 AM0.716°SE → SE
March3:05 AM – 5:05 AM2.024°SE → SSE
April1:13 AM – 4:23 AM3.227°SE → S
May11:15 PM – 3:45 AM4.527°SE → SSW
June9:21 PM – 3:21 AM6.027°SE → SW
July9:17 PM – 1:57 AM4.727°SSE → SW
August8:43 PM – 11:53 PM3.227°S → SW
September7:56 PM – 9:56 PM2.024°SSW → SW
October7:14 PM – 7:54 PM0.717°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-18°—

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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.31 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (49%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F818293981071141121101091019179
Low °F161925313953656450332318
Precip. (in)1.61.61.00.50.20.11.81.71.10.70.81.6

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

  • Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
  • 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.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Tonto National Monument, closest first.

Theodore Roosevelt LakeLake
Theodore Roosevelt Lake5.4 km away · Gila County
Hot Spring
Tuakay Hot Springs6.9 km away · Maricopa County
Scenic Viewpoint
Roosevelt Diversion Dam15 km away · Gila County
Waterfall
Reavis Falls15 km away · Gila County
Four PeaksMountain Peak
Four Peaks22 km away · Maricopa County · 2,101 m
Waterfall
Workman Creek Falls23 km away · Gila County · 1,965 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Aztec Peak Lookout Tower24 km away · Gila County
Aztec Peak LookoutFire Lookout
Aztec Peak Lookout24 km away · Gila County
Scenic Viewpoint
Bull Canyon Viewpoint24 km away · Gila County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Tonto National Monument?
June 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. Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
What time is golden hour at Tonto National Monument?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:18 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:52 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:03 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Tonto National Monument?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Tonto National Monument?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tonto National Monument?
Personal still photography needs no permit in National Park Service areas unless you use models, sets or props, enter closed areas, or the shoot creates extra costs for the park. Drones are prohibited.
How far is Tonto National Monument from Tonto Basin?
About 27 km (17 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.