Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a National Monument in Arizona. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 1 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Organ Pipe Cactus
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Organ Pipe Cactus. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Natural Arches (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Organ Pipe Cactus 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.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:33 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:50 PM | 246° | 10h 17m |
| February | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:18 PM | 256° | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:40 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:01 PM | 282° | 12h 58m |
| May | 5:35 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:22 PM | 293° | 13h 48m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:40 PM | 299° | 14h 14m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 296° | 14h 03m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 287° | 13h 20m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:39 PM | 274° | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:00 PM | 260° | 11h 25m |
| November | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:33 PM | 249° | 10h 32m |
| December | 7:26 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:29 PM | 243° | 10h 04m |
Computed for the park's reference point (32.0359, -112.8573); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Organ Pipe Cactus, 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 | 5:00 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 3:11 AM – 5:11 AM | 2.0 | 25° |
| April | 1:06 AM – 4:36 AM | 3.5 | 29° |
| May | 11:05 PM – 3:55 AM | 4.8 | 29° |
| June | 9:19 PM – 3:39 AM | 6.3 | 29° |
| July | 9:16 PM – 2:16 AM | 5.0 | 29° |
| August | 8:45 PM – 12:15 AM | 3.5 | 29° |
| September | 8:01 PM – 10:11 PM | 2.2 | 26° |
| October | 7:21 PM – 8:11 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
Summer months are hot, with temperatures exceeding 100F during the day and night-time temperatures in the high 70's. Winter months are milder, with temperatures in the 70s during the day and 30's to 40's in the evening.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (46%). 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.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
The Kris Eggle Visitor Center is located on Highway 85 approximately 25 miles south of Why, AZ and 5 miles north of Lukeville, AZ, just before the US-Mexico Border.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horse Camping (see also camping)
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
