Brian Head — a mountain peak in Iron County, Utah at about 3,444 m (11,299 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Cedar Breaks National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 17.9 km (11.1 mi) S of Parowan.
Brian Head, at 11,312 feet (3,448 m) high, is the highest peak on the Markagunt Plateau and in Iron County in southwestern Utah, United States. Brian Head Peak is located east of Cedar City and just north of Cedar Breaks National Monument in Dixie National Forest. The town of Brian Head at the western base of the mountain is the location of the Brian Head Ski Resort. Brian Head has the name of a government surveyor. There is a Forest Service lookout on the peak that was built in 1934–1935, and there is also a road to the summit that can be driven in summer.From the Wikipedia article “Brian Head (mountain)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Brian Head the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:11 AM | 59° ENE | 8:57 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 120° ESE | 5:17 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:38 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:18 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:53 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:14 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 34m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Brian Head, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:36 AM – 6:06 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:40 AM – 5:20 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:39 AM – 4:29 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:50 PM – 4:10 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 2:43 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:03 PM – 12:43 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:39 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:22 PM – 8:42 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.71 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 60 | 64 | 72 | 80 | 90 | 97 | 98 | 96 | 94 | 81 | 70 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | -7 | 0 | 16 | 21 | 29 | 44 | 41 | 25 | 10 | 0 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Brian Head, closest first.
Dark Sky Place
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Wilderness Area
Natural Arch
Volcano
Natural ArchScenic Viewpoint
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Point Supreme Campground7.7 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- Cedar Canyon11.8 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Deer Haven13.8 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Panguitch Lake15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Te-Ah16.6 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Brian Head?
What time is golden hour at Brian Head?
Where does the sun rise and set at Brian Head?
Can you see the Milky Way from Brian Head?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Brian Head?
How far is Brian Head from Parowan?
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.