Cochise is a ghost town in Cochise County, Arizona. The nearest town is Willcox, about 17.6 km (10.9 mi) away (Cochise lies SSW of town).
Cochise is an unincorporated community located in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. The city was created alongside the Southern Pacific Railroad in the 1880s. The city was primarily a stop for coal and water which were needed for trains at the time. At its peak, the town had a population of approximately 3,000 people. Today, only 50 people still live in Cochise. The town is also home to several historic locations. In 1899, Big Nose Kate, the famed sidekick of Doc Holliday, lived in Cochise while she was working at the Cochise Hotel after Holliday's death. Cochise has the ZIP Code of 85606; according to the 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 85606 had a population of 1,066.From the Wikipedia article “Cochise, Arizona”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cochise 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 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:24 AM | 90° E | 6:32 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 62° ENE | 7:30 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:09 AM | 89° E | 6:18 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 118° ESE | 5:20 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 17m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:32 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:06 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:03 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:26 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:23 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 13h 48m |
| June | 4:45 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 14h 14m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:56 PM | 14h 03m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 5:40 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:37 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:52 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 5:59 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:13 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:45 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 Cochise, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:00 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:55 AM – 4:25 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 10:54 PM – 3:44 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:08 PM – 3:28 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:05 PM – 2:05 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:34 PM – 12:04 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 7:50 PM – 10:00 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:10 PM – 8:00 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: 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 ≈ 21.77 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 ghost town
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cochise, closest first.
National Forest
Mountain Pass
Canyon
Natural ArchMountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cochise?
What time is golden hour at Cochise?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cochise?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cochise?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cochise?
How far is Cochise from Willcox?
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.