Pipe Spring 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 2 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Pipe Spring
We matched 2 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Pipe Spring. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Dark Sky Places (2)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Pipe Spring the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:44 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:38 PM | 244° | 9h 55m |
| February | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:12 PM | 255° | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:39 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:06 PM | 283° | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:32 PM | 295° | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:53 PM | 301° | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:51 PM | 298° | 14h 27m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 288° | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:40 PM | 274° | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:56 PM | 260° | 11h 17m |
| November | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:23 PM | 247° | 10h 13m |
| December | 7:37 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:17 PM | 241° | 9h 39m |
Computed for the park's reference point (36.8628, -112.7399); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Pipe Spring, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | 5:19 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.5 | 14° |
| March | 3:35 AM – 5:15 AM | 1.7 | 21° |
| April | 1:27 AM – 4:17 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 11:34 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.0 | 24° |
| June | 9:44 PM – 3:14 AM | 5.5 | 24° |
| July | 9:38 PM – 1:48 AM | 4.2 | 24° |
| August | 8:59 PM – 11:49 PM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 8:08 PM – 9:48 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 7:22 PM – 7:52 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
| 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
Weather is hot in summer and cold in winter. Expect summer highs to be 80-100 degrees Fahrenheit and winter highs to be 30-50 degrees. Early morning and late afternoon can be considerably cooler; dress in layers and bring plenty of sunscreen. Arizona climate is very dry -- bring at least 1 liter of water per person per visit to Pipe Spring.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December 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 (%)
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 - Per Person | $10.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Pipe Spring National Monument is located 15 miles west of Fredonia, AZ and 45 miles east of Hurricane, UT. From Interstate 15, turn onto Utah State Route 9 in Hurricane, Utah. Take Utah State Route 59 east out of Hurricane. This road turns into Arizona State Route 389 at the state line. Pipe Spring is 45 miles east of Hurricane. From Utah Highway 89 and 89A, turn onto Arizona State Route 389 in Fredonia, Arizona. Pipe Spring is 15 miles west of Fredonia.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hands-On
- Arts and Crafts
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Living History
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
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AZ/CA
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