Red Butte — a mountain peak in Coconino County, Arizona at about 2,211 m (7,254 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Grand Canyon National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Grand Canyon Village, about 26 km (16 mi) away (Red Butte lies SSE of town).
Red Butte is a butte located in the Kaibab National Forest in Coconino County, Arizona . It is known to the Havasupai nation as Wii'i Gdwiisa, "clenched fist mountain," and is regarded as a sacred site.From the Wikipedia article “Red Butte”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Red Butte 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 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:33 AM | 90° E | 6:40 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 60° ENE | 7:49 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:17 AM | 89° E | 6:27 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 119° ESE | 5:19 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 44m |
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
Summits catch first and last light — alpenglow can turn rock pink or orange minutes before sunrise and after sunset while valleys stay in shadow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:17 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 00m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:30 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:56 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:17 PM | 14h 34m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:15 PM | 14h 21m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:03 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 17m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 45m |
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 Red Butte, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:21 AM – 5:11 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:22 AM – 4:22 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:27 PM – 3:37 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:35 PM – 3:15 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:30 PM – 1:50 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:53 PM – 11:53 PM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:03 PM – 9:53 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:19 PM – 7:49 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (48%). 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 | 68 | 70 | 80 | 87 | 96 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 99 | 88 | 77 | 67 |
| Low °F | 0 | -1 | 10 | 16 | 27 | 39 | 50 | 47 | 33 | 19 | 14 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 |
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 mountain peak
- Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer at high elevations — plan summit hikes for early morning.
- Snow on the summit holds detail best when you expose for the highlights and lift shadows later.
- Alpenglow lasts only a few minutes; set up and focus beforehand.
- Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Early summer keeps snow on the peaks with green valleys below; autumn adds aspen or larch color in many ranges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lightweight tripod, Warm layers, Microspikes in shoulder seasons. 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 Red Butte, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tusayan - Montane13.3 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Hull Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Mather Campground26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Trailer Village Rv Park - South Rim26 km (16 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Red Butte?
What time is golden hour at Red Butte?
Where does the sun rise and set at Red Butte?
Can you see the Milky Way from Red Butte?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Red Butte?
How far is Red Butte from Grand Canyon Village?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.