Located in Pinal County, Arizona, Superstition Mountain is a mountain peak at about 1,535 m (5,036 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 5.5 km (3.4 mi) NE of Gold Canyon.
Superstition Mountain (Yavapai: Wi:kchsawa, O'odham: Gakoḍk) is a prominent mountain and regional landmark located in the Phoenix metropolitan area of Arizona, immediately east of Apache Junction and north of Gold Canyon. It anchors the west end of the Superstition Mountains (within the federally designated Superstition Wilderness Area) and is a popular outdoor recreation destination, home to numerous trails for hiking and horseback riding. The legend of the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine centers around the mountain.From the Wikipedia article “Superstition Mountain”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Superstition Mountain 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 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:30 AM | 90° E | 6:38 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 61° ENE | 7:39 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:14 AM | 89° E | 6:24 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 118° ESE | 5:23 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 56m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:30 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:22 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 4:47 AM | 5:16 AM | 5:53 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:06 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:05 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:06 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 26m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 57m |
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 Superstition Mountain, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:07 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:04 AM – 4:24 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:06 PM – 3:46 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:21 PM – 3:31 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:17 PM – 2:07 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:44 PM – 12:04 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 7:58 PM – 9:58 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:16 PM – 7:56 PM | 0.7 | 17° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.15 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 (49%). 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 | 81 | 82 | 93 | 98 | 107 | 114 | 112 | 110 | 109 | 101 | 91 | 79 |
| Low °F | 16 | 19 | 25 | 31 | 39 | 53 | 65 | 64 | 50 | 33 | 23 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.6 |
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
- Photograph the peak from a lake, meadow or ridge at sunrise when the face that looks east lights up first.
- Long lenses compress ridgelines; shoot the peak from several miles away to make it look massive.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Superstition Mountain, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Waterfall
State Park
Natural Arch
CaveNatural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tortilla Campground13.2 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
- Larry Forbis Overnight Group Site22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Superstition Mountain?
What time is golden hour at Superstition Mountain?
Where does the sun rise and set at Superstition Mountain?
Can you see the Milky Way from Superstition Mountain?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Superstition Mountain?
How far is Superstition Mountain from Gold Canyon?
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.