Located in Cochise County, Arizona, Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout is a fire lookout. It lies in or next to Chiricahua National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Willcox, about 55 km (34 mi) away (Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout lies ESE of town).
Wikidata describes it as: “historic fire lookout in Arizona”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:22 AM | 90° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 62° ENE | 7:27 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:06 AM | 89° E | 6:15 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 118° ESE | 5:18 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 03m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 17m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:29 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:04 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:24 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:12 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:21 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:54 PM | 14h 14m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:22 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:53 PM | 14h 03m |
| August | 5:17 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 5:38 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:34 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:49 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 5:57 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:54 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:11 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 32m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 04m |
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 Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:57 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:52 AM – 4:22 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 10:51 PM – 3:41 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:05 PM – 3:25 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:02 PM – 2:02 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:31 PM – 12:01 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 7:47 PM – 9:57 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:07 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 74 | 82 | 87 | 96 | 106 | 109 | 111 | 106 | 103 | 96 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | 17 | 11 | 21 | 29 | 35 | 48 | 62 | 61 | 46 | 28 | 20 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 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
- 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.
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 25 km of Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Natural Arch
Canyon
Dark Sky PlaceNatural Arch
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Bonita Canyon Campground2.9 km (1.8 mi) · reservable
- Portal Ccc House20.0 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
- Portal Bunkhouse20 km (12 mi) · reservable
- Camp Rucker Group Site29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout?
What time is golden hour at Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout?
How far is Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout from Willcox?
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.