Devils Bridge — a natural arch in Yavapai County, Arizona at about 1,504 m (4,934 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is West Sedona, about 3.4 km (2.1 mi) away (Devils Bridge lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Devils Bridge 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 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:32 AM | 90° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 60° ENE | 7:45 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:16 AM | 89° E | 6:26 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 119° ESE | 5:20 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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
Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:08 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:14 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:30 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:13 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:11 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 5:22 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:01 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 50m |
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 Devils Bridge, 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:19 AM – 5:09 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:19 AM – 4:19 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:23 PM – 3:43 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:30 PM – 3:20 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:25 PM – 1:55 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:50 PM – 11:50 PM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:01 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:17 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.79 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 (51%). 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 | 68 | 70 | 79 | 85 | 94 | 102 | 102 | 100 | 96 | 87 | 78 | 70 |
| Low °F | -14 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 36 | 48 | 48 | 33 | 19 | 13 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.0 |
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 natural arch
- Never climb on arches; many are fragile and climbing is prohibited on park lands.
- Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
- Frame distant features through the opening of the arch for a natural window.
- At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Devils Bridge, closest first.
Natural Arch
Dark Sky Place
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural Arch
State Park
Canyon
Mountain Peak
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Chavez Crossing6.6 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- Crescent Moon Ramada7.6 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Manzanita.7.7 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- Crescent Moon Ranch Cabin8.1 km (5.0 mi) · reservable
- Cave Spring12.6 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Devils Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Devils Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Devils Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Devils Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Devils Bridge?
How far is Devils Bridge from West Sedona?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.