Located in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch is a natural arch at about 1,669 m (5,476 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Rio Rico, about 15.6 km (9.7 mi) away (Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch lies WSW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:29 AM | 90° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:21 AM | 62° ENE | 7:33 PM | 298° WNW | 82° | 14h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:14 AM | 89° E | 6:23 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 117° ESE | 5:26 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 06m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 19m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 05m |
| March | 6:11 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:32 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 5:03 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 45m |
| June | 4:52 AM | 5:20 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:59 PM | 14h 11m |
| July | 5:04 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:59 PM | 14h 00m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 13h 18m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:56 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:04 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 26m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 34m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 07m |
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 Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° 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 | 4:54 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:04 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:59 AM – 4:29 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 10:58 PM – 3:48 AM | 4.8 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:11 PM – 3:41 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:08 PM – 2:08 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:37 PM – 12:07 AM | 3.5 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 7:54 PM – 10:04 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:15 PM – 8:05 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.53 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). June 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 | 80 | 85 | 91 | 98 | 106 | 111 | 108 | 105 | 104 | 100 | 90 | 82 |
| Low °F | 19 | 15 | 27 | 32 | 39 | 53 | 59 | 61 | 51 | 33 | 23 | 22 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Wilderness Area
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Dark Sky Place
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch?
What time is golden hour at Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch?
How far is Ramanote Canyon Natural Arch from Rio Rico?
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.