Looking up at the Jacob Lake Fire Lookout. North Kaibab District. 8-31-16. 20160831-100927-cr. Photo by Dyan Bone.Credit the Kaibab National Forest.
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36.6998° N112.2137° WBortle 1Phoenix

Jacob Lake Lookout Tower Photography Guide

Fire Lookout in Coconino County, Arizona

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Kaibab National Forest · Public domain · source

Located in Coconino County, Arizona, Jacob Lake Lookout Tower is a fire lookout. It is part of Kaibab National Forest. The nearest town is Fredonia, about 39 km (24 mi) away (Jacob Lake Lookout Tower lies SE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 81 m (266 ft). It dates from 1934. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Jacob Lake Lookout Tower is located in the North Kaibab Ranger District 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Fredonia, AZ.From the Wikipedia article “Jacob Lake Lookout Tower”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Fredonia
39 km (24 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
June
26% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:19 PM
sunset 5:54 PM

Light at Jacob Lake Lookout Tower

Live
Sunrise
6:41 AM
Sunset
5:47 PM
Golden hour AM
6:25 AM – 7:17 AM
Golden hour PM
5:12 PM – 6:03 PM
Blue hour AM
6:15 AM – 6:25 AM
Blue hour PM
6:03 PM – 6:13 PM
Full darkness
7:13 PM – 5:16 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
2:53 PM / 12:57 AM
Day length
11h 06m
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 Jacob Lake Lookout Tower 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:33 AM90° E6:41 PM271° W53°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:11 AM60° ENE7:52 PM301° WNW77°14h 40m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:17 AM89° E6:27 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:38 AM119° ESE5:17 PM241° WSW30°9h 39m

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
January7:13 AM7:41 AM8:20 AM4:58 PM5:37 PM6:05 PM9h 56m
February6:52 AM7:18 AM7:54 AM5:34 PM6:10 PM6:36 PM10h 52m
March6:15 AM6:41 AM7:15 AM6:02 PM6:37 PM7:02 PM11h 56m
April5:29 AM5:56 AM6:30 AM6:29 PM7:03 PM7:30 PM13h 08m
May4:53 AM5:22 AM5:59 AM6:53 PM7:30 PM7:59 PM14h 07m
June4:40 AM5:10 AM5:49 AM7:11 PM7:50 PM8:21 PM14h 39m
July4:53 AM5:22 AM6:00 AM7:11 PM7:48 PM8:18 PM14h 26m
August5:20 AM5:47 AM6:22 AM6:46 PM7:21 PM7:49 PM13h 34m
September5:46 AM6:12 AM6:46 AM6:04 PM6:38 PM7:04 PM12h 26m
October6:11 AM6:37 AM7:12 AM5:19 PM5:54 PM6:20 PM11h 17m
November6:40 AM7:08 AM7:45 AM4:43 PM5:21 PM5:49 PM10h 13m
December7:06 AM7:35 AM8:15 AM4:35 PM5:15 PM5:44 PM9h 40m

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 Jacob Lake Lookout Tower, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February5:17 AM – 5:47 AM0.514°SE → SE
March3:33 AM – 5:13 AM1.721°SE → SSE
April1:25 AM – 4:15 AM2.824°SE → S
May11:32 PM – 3:32 AM4.024°SE → SSW
June9:42 PM – 3:12 AM5.524°SE → SW
July9:36 PM – 1:46 AM4.224°SSE → SW
August8:57 PM – 11:47 PM2.824°S → SW
September8:06 PM – 9:46 PM1.721°SSW → SW
October7:20 PM – 7:50 PM0.514°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.93 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6569818797103103101100877564
Low °F4-21720253850473217145
Precip. (in)1.11.30.80.60.50.21.61.71.11.20.71.0

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 fire lookout

  • Access roads may be rough or seasonal.
  • 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.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 Jacob Lake Lookout Tower, closest first.

Fire Lookout
Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest5.2 km away · Coconino County
Scenic Viewpoint
Overlook Tanks13 km away · Coconino County · 2,150 m
Scenic Viewpoint
LeFevre Overlook15 km away · Coconino County · 2,078 m
Big Springs Lookout TowerFire Lookout
Big Springs Lookout Tower16 km away · Coconino County
Natural Arch
Vermillion Arch18 km away · Coconino County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Jacob Lake Lookout Tower?
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 Jacob Lake Lookout Tower?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:19 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:54 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:12 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Jacob Lake Lookout Tower?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Jacob Lake Lookout Tower?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jacob Lake Lookout Tower?
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 Jacob Lake Lookout Tower from Fredonia?
About 39 km (24 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.