Fort Bowie National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in Arizona. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 2 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Fort Bowie
We matched 2 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Fort Bowie. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (1)
Mountain Passes (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Fort Bowie 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 34° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 246° | 10h 16m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:05 PM | 256° | 11h 03m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:26 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:47 PM | 282° | 12h 58m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 293° | 13h 48m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 299° | 14h 15m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 296° | 14h 03m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 287° | 13h 20m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:35 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:25 PM | 274° | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:22 AM | 6:55 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:46 PM | 260° | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:19 PM | 249° | 10h 31m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 243° | 10h 03m |
Computed for the park's reference point (32.1493, -109.4511); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Fort Bowie, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 2:58 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.0 | 25° |
| April | 12:53 AM – 4:13 AM | 3.3 | 29° |
| May | 10:53 PM – 3:43 AM | 4.8 | 29° |
| June | 9:08 PM – 3:28 AM | 6.3 | 29° |
| July | 9:04 PM – 2:04 AM | 5.0 | 29° |
| August | 8:32 PM – 12:02 AM | 3.5 | 29° |
| September | 7:48 PM – 9:58 PM | 2.2 | 26° |
| October | 7:08 PM – 7:58 PM | 0.8 | 18° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
Getting there
From Willcox, AZ / points west on I-10: drive 23 miles east of Willcox on Interstate 10 to the the town of Bowie. Exit at the first Bowie exit and drive through the town. Follow the signs for Fort Bowie National Historic Site and turn south on Apache Pass Road. Drive 13 miles to the Fort Bowie Trailhead (the last mile of the road is unpaved). Be prepared to walk the three miles round trip to the ruins and back to your car.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
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