Sitting atop Blue Ridge, just east of Blue Ridge Reservoir is Moqui Tower, where a lookout scans for signs of smoke daily. The public can visit and go to the to
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34.5649° N111.1691° WBortle 2Phoenix

Moqui Lookout Photography Guide

Fire Lookout in Coconino County, Arizona

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Brady Smith; Coconino National Forest · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Moqui Lookout — a fire lookout in Coconino County, Arizona — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Coconino National Forest. It sits roughly 33 km (21 mi) NE of Pine.

Wikidata describes it as: “historic fire lookout”.

Nearest town
Pine
33 km (21 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
June
18% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:17 PM
sunset 5:51 PM

Light at Moqui Lookout

Live
Sunrise
6:35 AM
Sunset
5:45 PM
Golden hour AM
6:19 AM – 7:09 AM
Golden hour PM
5:11 PM – 6:01 PM
Blue hour AM
6:09 AM – 6:19 AM
Blue hour PM
6:01 PM – 6:11 PM
Full darkness
7:09 PM – 5:12 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
2:46 PM / 12:57 AM
Day length
11h 10m
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 Moqui 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:29 AM90° E6:37 PM271° W55°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:13 AM61° ENE7:41 PM300° WNW79°14h 28m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:13 AM89° E6:23 PM271° W56°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:28 AM118° ESE5:19 PM242° WSW32°9h 50m

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
January7:05 AM7:32 AM8:09 AM5:00 PM5:38 PM6:05 PM10h 06m
February6:45 AM7:11 AM7:46 AM5:34 PM6:08 PM6:34 PM10h 57m
March6:11 AM6:36 AM7:09 AM5:59 PM6:33 PM6:58 PM11h 57m
April5:28 AM5:54 AM6:27 AM6:23 PM6:57 PM7:23 PM13h 03m
May4:55 AM5:23 AM5:59 AM6:45 PM7:21 PM7:49 PM13h 58m
June4:43 AM5:12 AM5:50 AM7:03 PM7:40 PM8:09 PM14h 27m
July4:55 AM5:24 AM6:00 AM7:02 PM7:39 PM8:07 PM14h 15m
August5:20 AM5:46 AM6:21 AM6:39 PM7:14 PM7:41 PM13h 28m
September5:43 AM6:09 AM6:42 AM6:00 PM6:33 PM6:58 PM12h 24m
October6:05 AM6:31 AM7:05 AM5:17 PM5:51 PM6:17 PM11h 21m
November6:32 AM6:59 AM7:36 AM4:45 PM5:21 PM5:48 PM10h 22m
December6:57 AM7:25 AM8:04 AM4:38 PM5:16 PM5:44 PM9h 51m

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 Moqui 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February5:03 AM – 5:43 AM0.716°SE → SE
March3:17 AM – 5:07 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April1:15 AM – 4:15 AM3.026°SE → S
May11:19 PM – 3:39 AM4.327°SE → SSW
June9:26 PM – 3:26 AM6.027°SE → SW
July9:21 PM – 2:01 AM4.727°SSE → SW
August8:46 PM – 11:56 PM3.227°S → SW
September7:58 PM – 9:48 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October7:15 PM – 7:55 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.69 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 (51%). 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 °F687079859410210210096877870
Low °F-140111526364848331913-8
Precip. (in)1.92.01.20.60.50.22.52.41.41.01.32.0

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

  • Haze from wildfire smoke can turn the sun deep red but reduce visibility; check air quality.
  • 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.
  • 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 Moqui Lookout, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
O'Haco Lookout Tower16 km away · Coconino County · 2,329 m
Scenic Viewpoint
High View Point18 km away · Gila County
Scenic Viewpoint
Hi View Point18 km away · Gila County
Scenic Viewpoint
Horseshoe Vista23 km away · Gila County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Moqui 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 Moqui 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 7:05 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Moqui Lookout?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Moqui Lookout?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Moqui 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 Moqui Lookout from Pine?
About 33 km (21 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.