Popawi is a natural arch in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico at about 2,124 m (6,969 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 12.1 km (7.5 mi) W of Santa Clara Pueblo.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Popawi 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 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 60° ENE | 8:26 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 119° ESE | 4:55 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 43m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 44m |
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 Popawi, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | 4:53 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:58 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 4:15 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:14 PM – 3:54 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:08 PM – 2:28 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:31 PM – 12:31 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.41 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (52%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 65 | 70 | 79 | 86 | 97 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 96 | 86 | 73 | 64 |
| Low °F | 0 | -3 | 13 | 20 | 25 | 38 | 52 | 48 | 31 | 18 | 11 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 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
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Popawi, closest first.
Natural Arch
Mountain Peak
Scenic ViewpointNatural Arch
Cave
Cave
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ponderosa Group Campground (Nm)19.8 km (12.3 mi) · reservable
- Juniper Campground (Nm)20 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Popawi?
What time is golden hour at Popawi?
Where does the sun rise and set at Popawi?
Can you see the Milky Way from Popawi?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Popawi?
How far is Popawi from Santa Clara Pueblo?
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.