Capitol Reef National Park — a dark sky place in Wayne County, Utah — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Capitol Reef National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 102 km (63 mi) SE of Richfield. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Capitol Reef National Park is a national park of the United States in south-central Utah. The park is approximately 60 miles (100 km) long on its north–south axis and just 6 miles (10 km) wide on its east-west axis, on average. The park was established in 1971 to preserve 241,904 acres (377.98 sq mi; 97,895.08 ha; 978.95 km2) of desert landscape and is open all year, with May through September receiving the most visitors. Partially in Wayne County, Utah, the area was originally named "Wayne Wonderland" in the 1920s by local boosters Ephraim P. Pectol and Joseph S. Hickman. Capitol Reef National Park was designated a national monument on August 2, 1937, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to protect the area's colorful canyons, ridges, buttes, and monoliths; however, it was not until 1950 that the area officially opened to the public. Road access was improved in 1962 with the...From the Wikipedia article “Capitol Reef National Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Capitol Reef National Park 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) | 7:29 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:03 AM | 59° ENE | 8:52 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 120° ESE | 5:09 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
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Capitol Reef National Park, 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 6:00 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:35 AM – 5:05 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:35 AM – 4:25 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:47 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:40 PM – 2:40 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:58 PM – 12:38 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 10:34 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 8:36 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 35% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 59 | 65 | 74 | 81 | 94 | 97 | 100 | 97 | 96 | 83 | 71 | 59 |
| Low °F | -11 | -7 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 30 | 46 | 43 | 25 | 13 | 0 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
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 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Capitol Reef National Park, closest first.
Natural Arch
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Mountain Pass
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Capitol Reef Group Campground11.5 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Fruita Campground11.5 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- Lower Bowns14.2 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
- Singletree14.8 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Rosebud Atv17.8 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Capitol Reef National Park?
What time is golden hour at Capitol Reef National Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Capitol Reef National Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Capitol Reef National Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Capitol Reef National Park?
How far is Capitol Reef National Park from Richfield?
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.