Tonto National Forest — a national forest in Gila County, Arizona — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.7 km (1.1 mi) NNE of Tonto Basin.
The Tonto National Forest, encompassing 2,873,200 acres (1,162,700 ha; 11,627 km2), is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the ninth largest national forest in the United States. The forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet (427 m) in the Sonoran Desert to 7,400 feet (2,256 m) in the ponderosa pine forests of the Mogollon Rim. The Tonto National Forest is also one of the most visited "urban" forests in the United States. The boundaries of the Tonto National Forest are the Phoenix metropolitan area to the south, the Mogollon Rim to the north and the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian Reservation to the east. The Tonto (Spanish for "foolish") is managed by the USDA Forest Service and its headquarters are in Phoenix. There are local ranger district offices in Globe, Mesa, Payson, Roosevelt, Scottsdale, and Young.From the Wikipedia article “Tonto National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tonto National Forest 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 | 6:37 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 61° ENE | 7:40 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:14 AM | 89° E | 6:23 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 118° ESE | 5:21 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:12 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:22 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:07 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 4:58 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:06 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:06 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 55m |
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 Tonto National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:14 AM – 4:24 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:16 PM – 3:46 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:22 PM – 3:22 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:18 PM – 1:58 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:44 PM – 11:54 PM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 7:57 PM – 9:57 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:15 PM – 7:55 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: 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 ≈ 21.24 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 national forest
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Tonto National Forest, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Hot Spring
Lake
Dark Sky PlaceScenic Viewpoint
CaveScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cholla Campground14.6 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Frazier Horse Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Frazier Group Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Burnt Corral Campground25 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Windy Hill Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tonto National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Tonto National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tonto National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tonto National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tonto National Forest?
How far is Tonto National Forest from Tonto Basin?
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.