The Portal — a natural arch in Cochise County, Arizona at about 1,879 m (6,165 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Douglas, about 69 km (43 mi) away (The Portal lies NNE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At The Portal 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 299° (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) | 6:21 AM | 90° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 62° ENE | 7:26 PM | 299° WNW | 82° | 14h 14m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:06 AM | 89° E | 6:15 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 117° ESE | 5:17 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 04m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 18m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:29 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:23 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:20 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:53 PM | 14h 13m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:22 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 14h 02m |
| August | 5:17 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 5:37 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:34 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:49 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 5:56 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:53 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:10 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 32m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 05m |
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 The Portal, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:57 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:52 AM – 4:22 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 10:51 PM – 3:41 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:05 PM – 3:25 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:02 PM – 2:02 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:31 PM – 12:01 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 7:47 PM – 9:57 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:07 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 22% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 74 | 83 | 86 | 94 | 105 | 108 | 108 | 103 | 99 | 94 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | 19 | 9 | 20 | 28 | 35 | 50 | 60 | 58 | 49 | 26 | 20 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
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 The Portal, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
WaterfallWaterfallScenic ViewpointWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Portal Bunkhouse2.4 km (1.5 mi) · reservable
- Portal Ccc House2.7 km (1.7 mi) · reservable
- Camp Rucker Group Site22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Bonita Canyon Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph The Portal?
What time is golden hour at The Portal?
Where does the sun rise and set at The Portal?
Can you see the Milky Way from The Portal?
Do you need a permit to photograph at The Portal?
How far is The Portal from Douglas?
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.