Gunsight Natural Bridge, UT: Photo Guide & Golden Hour

Gunsight Natural Bridge is a natural arch in San Juan County, Utah at about 1,864 m (6,115 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Monticello, about 36 km (23 mi) away (Gunsight Natural Bridge lies WNW of town).

Elevation

1,864 m

6,115 ft

Nearest town

Monticello

36 km (23 mi)

Sky darkness

Bortle 1

Excellent dark-sky site

Clearest month

June

31% cloud

Milky Way peak

June

5.3 h window

Golden hour (Oct)

6:07 PM

sunset 6:42 PM

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Gunsight Natural Bridge 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 29° in winter.

June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Date	Sunrise	Azimuth	Sunset	Azimuth	Noon sun	Daylight
March equinox (Mar 20)	7:23 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 48m
September equinox (Sep 22)	7:07 AM	89° E	7:17 PM	271° W	52°	12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)	7:32 AM	120° ESE	5:03 PM	241° WSW	29°	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	7:34 AM	8:14 AM	4:43 PM	5:23 PM	5:52 PM	9h 49m
February	6:43 AM	7:10 AM	7:46 AM	5:21 PM	5:58 PM	6:25 PM	10h 48m
March	7:05 AM	7:31 AM	8:06 AM	6:52 PM	7:26 PM	7:53 PM	11h 55m
April	6:17 AM	6:44 AM	7:19 AM	7:20 PM	7:55 PM	8:22 PM	13h 11m
May	5:40 AM	6:09 AM	6:47 AM	7:45 PM	8:23 PM	8:52 PM	14h 14m
June	5:25 AM	5:57 AM	6:36 AM	8:05 PM	8:44 PM	9:15 PM	14h 47m
July	5:38 AM	6:09 AM	6:47 AM	8:03 PM	8:42 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	7:01 AM	7:36 AM	6:54 PM	7:29 PM	7:55 PM	12h 27m
October	7:01 AM	7:28 AM	8:04 AM	6:07 PM	6:42 PM	7:09 PM	11h 14m
November	6:32 AM	7:00 AM	7:39 AM	4:30 PM	5:08 PM	5:36 PM	10h 08m
December	6:59 AM	7:29 AM	8:10 AM	4:20 PM	5:01 PM	5:31 PM	9h 33m

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 Gunsight Natural Bridge, 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 (%)

54%

50%

49%

45%

31%

45%

44%

32%

36%

43%

56%

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

	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

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 Gunsight Natural Bridge, closest first.

Natural Arch

Fisheye Arch2.1 km away · San Juan County

Natural Arch

Long Arch2.3 km away · San Juan County

Natural Arch

Natural Arch2.8 km away · San Juan County

Natural Arch

Cleft Arch3.3 km away · San Juan County

Natural Arch

Caterpillar Arch3.8 km away · San Juan County

Natural Arch

Hand Hold Arch4.0 km away · San Juan County

Natural Arch

Natural Bridge4.4 km away · San Juan County

Natural Arch

Fortress Arch4.7 km away · San Juan County

Natural Arch

Wedding Ring Arch5.1 km away · San Juan County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Gunsight Natural Bridge?

June has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.

What time is golden hour at Gunsight Natural Bridge?

In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:07 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:42 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:04 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.

Where does the sun rise and set at Gunsight Natural Bridge?

Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.

Can you see the Milky Way from Gunsight Natural Bridge?

Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).

Do you need a permit to photograph at Gunsight Natural Bridge?

Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.

How far is Gunsight Natural Bridge from Monticello?

About 36 km (23 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.

Gunsight Natural Bridge Photography Guide

Light at Gunsight Natural Bridge

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

Sunrise & sunset directions

Golden hour & blue hour by month

Milky Way & night sky

Weather & best season

Average cloud cover (%)

Photography tips for this natural arch

Nearby photo spots

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

Sources