Wupatki 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 Wupatki
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Wupatki. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Dark Sky Places (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Wupatki 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:35 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:36 PM | 245° | 10h 01m |
| February | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:08 PM | 255° | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:34 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 283° | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 294° | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:48 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 300° | 14h 33m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:59 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 298° | 14h 20m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 288° | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:09 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:34 PM | 274° | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:51 PM | 260° | 11h 19m |
| November | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:20 PM | 248° | 10h 18m |
| December | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 242° | 9h 46m |
Computed for the park's reference point (35.5574, -111.3957); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Wupatki, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | 5:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 3:19 AM – 5:09 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 1:19 AM – 4:19 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 11:24 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.2 | 26° |
| June | 9:32 PM – 3:22 AM | 5.8 | 26° |
| July | 9:27 PM – 1:57 AM | 4.5 | 26° |
| August | 8:50 PM – 11:50 PM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 8:01 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.8 | 22° |
| October | 7:17 PM – 7:47 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
| 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
Be prepared for variable and extreme weather conditions. You may expect high winds any time of year, summer temperatures above 100ºF (38ºC), afternoon thunderstorms July–September, and occasional snow in winter and early spring. Dress in layers, as Wupatki weather can change quickly at any time of year. For current weather please visit https://www.nps.gov/wupa/planyourvisit/weather.htm
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). 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 |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $15.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments are connected by loop road FR-545 (paved). Visitors can enter the loop road near mile markers 430 (Sunset Crater Volcano) and 444 (Wupatki) on U.S. Highway 89.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hands-On
- Citizen Science
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
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