Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest — a fire lookout in Coconino County, Arizona — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 35 km (22 mi) SE of Fredonia.
The lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest are the survivors of a system of improvised fire lookout towers that used tall, straight trees as vantage points. The practice of using trees as lookouts was widespread in the western United States during the early 20th century, as there was no need to build a foundation or to pack and assemble a tower structure. Instead, a prominent tree could be selected, and a ladder or a series of spikes could be attached to the tree trunk. For transient use this could be all that was done, but for more permanent use the top 10 feet (3.0 m) of the tree could be lopped, and a platform constructed on the resulting stump. This railed platform was then outfitted with a seat and a platform for an Osborne Fire Finder.From the Wikipedia article “Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:33 AM | 90° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 60° ENE | 7:52 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:17 AM | 89° E | 6:27 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:39 AM | 119° ESE | 5:17 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:13 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:30 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 4:53 AM | 5:22 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:59 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:21 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:18 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:04 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 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 Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest, 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:25 AM – 4:15 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:32 PM – 3:32 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:42 PM – 3:12 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:36 PM – 1:46 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:57 PM – 11:47 PM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:06 PM – 9:46 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:20 PM – 7:50 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Natural Arch
Fire LookoutCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Jacob Lake Group Campground & Picnic Site3.9 km (2.4 mi)
- Jacob Lake Recreation Area5.2 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Big Springs Cabin Site20.0 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest?
How far is Lookout trees in Kaibab National Forest from Fredonia?
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.