Arch Rock is a natural arch in Riverside County, California at about 1,162 m (3,812 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Joshua Tree National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 17.0 km (10.6 mi) SSE of Twentynine Palms.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Arch 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 79° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:49 AM | 90° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 61° ENE | 7:59 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:33 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:46 AM | 118° ESE | 4:40 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 53m |
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 | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 12m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:08 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 54m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Arch 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:22 AM – 5:02 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:35 AM – 5:25 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:33 AM – 4:43 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:36 PM – 3:56 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:42 PM – 3:42 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:38 PM – 2:18 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:04 PM – 12:14 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:16 PM – 10:16 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:34 PM – 8:14 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.08 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (41%). 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 | 84 | 90 | 94 | 100 | 109 | 117 | 118 | 115 | 115 | 104 | 92 | 82 |
| Low °F | 26 | 28 | 33 | 37 | 42 | 48 | 59 | 56 | 48 | 40 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Arch Rock, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Jumbo Rocks Campground4.4 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Sheep Pass Group9.6 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Ryan Campground12.8 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Indian Cove Group17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
- Indian Cove Campground19.7 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Arch Rock?
What time is golden hour at Arch Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Arch Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Arch Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Arch Rock?
How far is Arch Rock from Twentynine Palms?
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.