Druid Arch — a natural arch in San Juan County, Utah at about 1,723 m (5,653 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Canyonlands National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Monticello, about 49 km (31 mi) away (Druid Arch lies WNW of town).
Druid Arch is an iconic 150-foot tall Cedar Mesa Sandstone arch located within the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, in San Juan County, Utah. It is situated at the head of Elephant Canyon, and precipitation runoff from Druid Arch drains north into the nearby Colorado River via Elephant Canyon. Druid Arch is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the Needles district. A 5.4 mile hike to Druid Arch starts at the Elephant Hill Trailhead, and the final quarter-mile is steep with some scrambling and one ladder. The name comes from its resemblance to the Stonehenge monument in England, which is believed to be a Druid temple. This feature's name was officially adopted in 1963 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.From the Wikipedia article “Druid Arch”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Druid Arch the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 59° ENE | 8:46 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:33 AM | 120° ESE | 5:04 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 9h 31m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:05 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Druid Arch, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 5:08 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:40 PM – 4:00 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 2:33 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 12:32 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 59 | 62 | 77 | 85 | 98 | 102 | 104 | 100 | 98 | 87 | 73 | 59 |
| Low °F | -7 | -8 | 8 | 18 | 22 | 34 | 48 | 47 | 32 | 7 | 8 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
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.
- 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.
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 Druid Arch, closest first.
Natural ArchNatural Arch
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
CanyonNatural Arch
Scenic ViewpointNatural Arch
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Canyonlands National Park Needles District Campground11.0 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Hamburger Rock Campground18.4 km (11.4 mi) · reservable
- Indian Creek Falls Group Site19.0 km (11.8 mi) · reservable
- Superbowl Campground19.5 km (12.1 mi) · reservable
- Superbowl Group Site19.6 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Druid Arch?
What time is golden hour at Druid Arch?
Where does the sun rise and set at Druid Arch?
Can you see the Milky Way from Druid Arch?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Druid Arch?
How far is Druid Arch from Monticello?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. 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.