Elephant Rock — a natural arch in Gila County, Arizona at about 2,061 m (6,762 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Tonto Basin, about 34 km (21 mi) away (Elephant Rock lies ENE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Elephant Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:28 AM | 90° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 61° ENE | 7:39 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:13 AM | 89° E | 6:22 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 118° ESE | 5:19 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:27 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:21 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:23 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:06 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 4:56 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:05 PM | 14h 12m |
| August | 5:20 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 5:43 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:41 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:57 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:03 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:16 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 55m |
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 Elephant Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:02 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:15 AM – 5:05 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:13 AM – 4:23 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:16 PM – 3:36 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:22 PM – 3:22 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:18 PM – 1:58 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:44 PM – 11:54 PM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 7:57 PM – 9:57 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:14 PM – 7:54 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.55 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 20% 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 77 | 78 | 87 | 94 | 104 | 110 | 109 | 107 | 104 | 97 | 87 | 75 |
| Low °F | 9 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 33 | 50 | 62 | 60 | 44 | 29 | 20 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.7 |
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.
- At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
- 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 Elephant Rock, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
Wilderness AreaScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Reynolds Creek Group Camp (Id) 4.9 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Reynolds Creek Group Campground4.9 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Schoolhouse Campground (Az)28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Windy Hill Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Elephant Rock?
What time is golden hour at Elephant Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Elephant Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Elephant Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Elephant Rock?
How far is Elephant Rock from Tonto Basin?
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.