In the ghost town of Paradise, Arizona.
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31.9347° N109.2190° WBortle 1Phoenix

Paradise Photography Guide

Ghost Town in Cochise County, Arizona

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–299°
  • Clearest: May
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dedhed1950/ · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Paradise is a ghost town in Cochise County, Arizona. The nearest town is Douglas, about 72 km (45 mi) away (Paradise lies NNE of town).

Paradise is a small ghost town located in Cochise County in the U.S. state of Arizona. The town was settled in 1901 in what was then the Arizona Territory. Paradise is also the setting for the first two Postal games.From the Wikipedia article “Paradise, Arizona”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Douglas
72 km (45 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
May
22% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.3 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:13 PM
sunset 5:46 PM

Light at Paradise

Live
Sunrise
6:25 AM
Sunset
5:40 PM
Golden hour AM
6:09 AM – 6:58 AM
Golden hour PM
5:07 PM – 5:55 PM
Blue hour AM
6:00 AM – 6:09 AM
Blue hour PM
5:55 PM – 6:05 PM
Full darkness
7:02 PM – 5:04 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
2:35 PM / 12:53 AM
Day length
11h 16m
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 Paradise 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 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:21 AM90° E6:29 PM271° W58°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:12 AM62° ENE7:27 PM299° WNW82°14h 14m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:06 AM89° E6:15 PM271° W58°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:14 AM118° ESE5:18 PM243° WSW35°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:52 AM7:18 AM7:54 AM4:59 PM5:36 PM6:02 PM10h 17m
February6:35 AM7:00 AM7:34 AM5:30 PM6:04 PM6:29 PM11h 04m
March6:04 AM6:28 AM7:00 AM5:53 PM6:25 PM6:50 PM11h 57m
April5:24 AM5:49 AM6:21 AM6:14 PM6:46 PM7:11 PM12h 58m
May4:54 AM5:21 AM5:55 AM6:33 PM7:08 PM7:34 PM13h 47m
June4:43 AM5:11 AM5:47 AM6:49 PM7:25 PM7:53 PM14h 14m
July4:55 AM5:22 AM5:57 AM6:49 PM7:25 PM7:52 PM14h 02m
August5:17 AM5:42 AM6:16 AM6:29 PM7:02 PM7:28 PM13h 20m
September5:37 AM6:02 AM6:34 AM5:52 PM6:24 PM6:49 PM12h 23m
October5:56 AM6:21 AM6:54 AM5:13 PM5:46 PM6:10 PM11h 25m
November6:20 AM6:46 AM7:22 AM4:43 PM5:18 PM5:44 PM10h 32m
December6:44 AM7:11 AM7:48 AM4:38 PM5:15 PM5:42 PM10h 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 Paradise, 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
February4:46 AM – 5:36 AM0.818°SE → SE
March2:57 AM – 4:57 AM2.025°SE → SSE
April12:52 AM – 4:22 AM3.529°SE → S
May10:51 PM – 3:41 AM4.829°SE → SSW
June9:05 PM – 3:25 AM6.329°SE → SW
July9:02 PM – 2:02 AM5.029°SSE → SW
August8:31 PM – 12:01 AM3.529°S → SW
September7:47 PM – 9:57 PM2.226°SSW → SW
October7:07 PM – 7:57 PM0.818°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 22% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (60%). June 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 °F7483869410510810810399948576
Low °F19920283550605849262018
Precip. (in)0.80.70.60.20.10.53.63.01.70.60.70.8

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

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 Paradise, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Silver Peak Lookout3.7 km away · Cochise County
Scenic Viewpoint
Ambush Saddle Viewpoint4.0 km away · Cochise County
Waterfall
Jhus Falls4.5 km away · Cochise County
Waterfall
Sheila Falls5.4 km away · Cochise County
Waterfall
Upper East Turkey Creek Waterfall5.6 km away · Cochise County
Waterfall
North Fork Falls6.4 km away · Cochise County
Scenic Viewpoint
Cathedral Vista Point7.0 km away · Cochise County
Scenic Viewpoint
Centella Point7.5 km away · Cochise County · 2,809 m
Natural Arch
The Portal7.6 km away · Cochise County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Paradise?
May 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. High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at Paradise?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:13 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:46 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 6:54 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Paradise?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 62° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 243°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Paradise?
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 Paradise?
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 Paradise from Douglas?
About 72 km (45 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.