Coronado National Forest is a national forest in Cochise County, Arizona. It sits roughly 3.5 km (2.2 mi) NNW of Benson.
The Coronado National Forest is a United States National Forest that includes an area of about 1.78 million acres (7,200 km2) spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. It is located in parts of Cochise, Graham, Santa Cruz, Pima, and Pinal Counties in Arizona, and Hidalgo County in New Mexico.From the Wikipedia article “Coronado National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Coronado National Forest 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 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:26 AM | 90° E | 6:33 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 62° ENE | 7:31 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:10 AM | 89° E | 6:19 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 118° ESE | 5:22 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 17m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:33 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:08 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:16 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:25 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 4:47 AM | 5:16 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:58 PM | 14h 14m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:57 PM | 14h 03m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:32 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 5:42 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:38 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:53 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:01 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:58 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:15 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 32m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:46 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 Coronado National Forest, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:50 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:01 AM – 5:01 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:56 AM – 4:26 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 10:55 PM – 3:45 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:09 PM – 3:29 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:06 PM – 2:06 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:35 PM – 12:05 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 7:51 PM – 10:01 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:11 PM – 8:01 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.61 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (62%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 76 | 83 | 86 | 95 | 104 | 109 | 105 | 103 | 100 | 95 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 17 | 11 | 22 | 31 | 36 | 49 | 59 | 59 | 49 | 28 | 20 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 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 national forest
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Coronado National Forest, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Dark Sky Place
Natural Arch
Canyon
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
Ghost TownMountain Pass
Ghost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Coronado National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Coronado National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Coronado National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Coronado National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Coronado National Forest?
How far is Coronado National Forest from Benson?
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.