U.S. Forest Service fire lookout tower on the summit of Aztec peak (7694 ft).
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33.8122° N110.9080° WBortle 3Phoenix

Aztec Peak Lookout Photography Guide

Fire Lookout in Gila County, Arizona

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–299°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Brandon.wiggins · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Located in Gila County, Arizona, Aztec Peak Lookout is a fire lookout. It is part of Tonto National Forest. The nearest town is Tonto Basin, about 36 km (22 mi) away (Aztec Peak Lookout lies E of town).

Wikidata describes it as: “historic fire lookout”.

Nearest town
Tonto Basin
36 km (22 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
June
20% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:17 PM
sunset 5:51 PM

Light at Aztec Peak Lookout

Live
Sunrise
6:33 AM
Sunset
5:45 PM
Golden hour AM
6:18 AM – 7:07 AM
Golden hour PM
5:11 PM – 6:00 PM
Blue hour AM
6:08 AM – 6:18 AM
Blue hour PM
6:00 PM – 6:10 PM
Full darkness
7:08 PM – 5:11 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
2:44 PM / 12:57 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 Aztec Peak Lookout 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)6:28 AM90° E6:36 PM271° W56°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:14 AM61° ENE7:38 PM299° WNW80°14h 24m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:12 AM89° E6:22 PM271° W56°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:25 AM118° ESE5:20 PM242° WSW33°9h 54m

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

Lookouts are built for 360° views, so sunrise and sunset are both options — use the azimuths to decide which view you want.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:02 AM7:29 AM8:06 AM5:01 PM5:38 PM6:05 PM10h 09m
February6:44 AM7:09 AM7:43 AM5:34 PM6:08 PM6:34 PM10h 59m
March6:10 AM6:35 AM7:08 AM5:59 PM6:32 PM6:57 PM11h 57m
April5:28 AM5:54 AM6:27 AM6:22 PM6:55 PM7:21 PM13h 01m
May4:56 AM5:23 AM5:59 AM6:43 PM7:18 PM7:46 PM13h 55m
June4:44 AM5:13 AM5:50 AM7:00 PM7:37 PM8:06 PM14h 23m
July4:56 AM5:25 AM6:01 AM7:00 PM7:36 PM8:04 PM14h 11m
August5:20 AM5:46 AM6:20 AM6:38 PM7:12 PM7:38 PM13h 25m
September5:43 AM6:08 AM6:41 AM5:59 PM6:32 PM6:57 PM12h 24m
October6:04 AM6:29 AM7:03 AM5:17 PM5:51 PM6:16 PM11h 22m
November6:30 AM6:57 AM7:33 AM4:46 PM5:22 PM5:48 PM10h 25m
December6:54 AM7:22 AM8:00 AM4:39 PM5:17 PM5:45 PM9h 55m

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 Aztec Peak Lookout, 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 ≈ 21.53 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). 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 °F77788794104110109107104978775
Low °F91520263350626044292011
Precip. (in)1.71.71.00.50.40.22.32.01.30.71.01.7

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 fire lookout

  • Some lookouts can be rented overnight through recreation.gov, which puts you on site for both sunset and sunrise.
  • Shoot the tower itself against the Milky Way or star trails on clear, moonless nights.
  • Haze from wildfire smoke can turn the sun deep red but reduce visibility; check air quality.
  • Access roads may be rough or seasonal.
  • Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

Season: Summer and early autumn; many towers are staffed only during fire season.

Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Warm layers. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Aztec Peak Lookout, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Aztec Peak Lookout Tower0.0 km away · Gila County
Waterfall
Workman Creek Falls2.2 km away · Gila County · 1,965 m
Sierra Ancha WildernessWilderness Area
Sierra Ancha Wilderness3.0 km away · Gila County
Scenic Viewpoint
Bull Canyon Viewpoint6.2 km away · Gila County
Natural Arch
Elephant Rock9.7 km away · Gila County
Scenic Viewpoint
McFadden Peak Lookout12 km away · Gila County · 2,167 m
Salt River Canyon WildernessWilderness Area
Salt River Canyon Wilderness20 km away · Gila County
Scenic Viewpoint
Roosevelt Diversion Dam21 km away · Gila County
Tonto National MonumentDark Sky Place
Tonto National Monument24 km away · Gila County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Aztec Peak Lookout?
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. Summer and early autumn; many towers are staffed only during fire season.
What time is golden hour at Aztec Peak Lookout?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:17 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:51 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 Aztec Peak Lookout?
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 Aztec Peak Lookout?
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 Aztec Peak Lookout?
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 Aztec Peak Lookout from Tonto Basin?
About 36 km (22 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata. 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.