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36.9086° N110.0818° W1,674 mBortle 1Denver

Ear of the Wind Photography Guide

Natural Arch in Navajo County, Arizona · 1,674 m (5,492 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Mar–Oct

Ear of the Wind is a natural arch in Navajo County, Arizona at about 1,674 m (5,492 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Kayenta, about 25 km (16 mi) away (Ear of the Wind lies NE of town).

Elevation
1,674 m
5,492 ft
Nearest town
Kayenta
25 km (16 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
June
27% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:10 PM
sunset 6:45 PM

Light at Ear of the Wind

Live
Sunrise
7:33 AM
Sunset
6:38 PM
Golden hour AM
7:17 AM – 8:09 AM
Golden hour PM
6:03 PM – 6:54 PM
Blue hour AM
7:07 AM – 7:17 AM
Blue hour PM
6:54 PM – 7:05 PM
Full darkness
8:05 PM – 6:07 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:46 PM / 1:47 AM
Day length
11h 05m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Ear of the Wind 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:25 AM90° E7:32 PM271° W53°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:02 AM60° ENE8:44 PM301° WNW77°14h 42m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:09 AM89° E7:19 PM271° W53°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:30 AM119° ESE5:08 PM241° WSW30°9h 38m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:05 AM7:33 AM8:12 AM4:49 PM5:28 PM5:56 PM9h 55m
February6:43 AM7:10 AM7:46 AM5:25 PM6:01 PM6:28 PM10h 51m
March7:06 AM7:32 AM8:06 AM6:54 PM7:28 PM7:54 PM11h 56m
April6:20 AM6:47 AM7:22 AM7:20 PM7:55 PM8:22 PM13h 08m
May5:44 AM6:13 AM6:50 AM7:45 PM8:22 PM8:51 PM14h 08m
June5:31 AM6:01 AM6:40 AM8:03 PM8:42 PM9:13 PM14h 41m
July5:43 AM6:13 AM6:51 AM8:03 PM8:40 PM9:10 PM14h 27m
August6:11 AM6:38 AM7:14 AM7:38 PM8:13 PM8:41 PM13h 35m
September6:37 AM7:03 AM7:38 AM6:55 PM7:30 PM7:56 PM12h 26m
October7:02 AM7:28 AM8:04 AM6:10 PM6:45 PM7:11 PM11h 16m
November6:32 AM7:00 AM7:38 AM4:34 PM5:12 PM5:40 PM10h 12m
December6:58 AM7:27 AM8:07 AM4:25 PM5:06 PM5:35 PM9h 39m

Local time (America/Denver), 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 Ear of the Wind, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:18 AM – 5:38 AM0.314°SE → SE
March4:24 AM – 5:54 AM1.520°SE → SSE
April2:17 AM – 5:07 AM2.824°SE → S
May12:25 AM – 4:25 AM4.024°SE → SSW
June10:34 PM – 4:04 AM5.524°SE → SW
July10:28 PM – 2:38 AM4.224°SSE → SW
August9:49 PM – 12:39 AM2.824°S → SW
September8:57 PM – 10:37 PM1.721°SSW → SW
October8:11 PM – 8:41 PM0.514°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
DecemberBelow 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 27% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (50%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F60667784941011019996857661
Low °F-1-41118233551493112104
Precip. (in)0.80.80.60.40.40.21.11.20.80.80.60.7

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

  • Use a wide lens and get close to emphasize the span against the sky.
  • 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.
  • Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

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 Ear of the Wind, closest first.

Natural Arch
Moccasin Arch0.8 km away · Navajo County
Natural Arch
Suns Eye0.8 km away · Navajo County
Natural Arch
Hidden Bridge0.8 km away · Navajo County
Natural Arch
Big Hogan0.8 km away · Navajo County
Natural Arch
Donut Arch1.3 km away · Navajo County
Natural Arch
Spiderweb Arch2.8 km away · Navajo County
Natural Arch
Natural Arch2.9 km away · Navajo County
Natural Arch
Vreeland Arch3.1 km away · Navajo County
Natural Arch
Eye of the Dove3.6 km away · Navajo County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Ear of the Wind?
June has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
What time is golden hour at Ear of the Wind?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:10 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:45 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:04 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Ear of the Wind?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Ear of the Wind?
Yes — the core is visible from March to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ear of the Wind?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Ear of the Wind from Kayenta?
About 25 km (16 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.