Located in San Juan County, Utah, Hole N" The Rock is a natural arch. The nearest town is Moab, about 22 km (14 mi) away (Hole N" The Rock lies SSE of town).
Hole N" The Rock is a roadside attraction located in San Juan County, Utah, centered around a home carved out of a sandstone cliff. Albert Christensen began creating the home in 1940; the Christensen family moved into the home in 1952 and the site was opened to public tours after Albert's death in 1957. The adjacent Hole N" The Rock diner was opened in 1945 and operated until 1955. A petting zoo and gift shops were added to the site by subsequent owners. The attraction is a popular stop for visitors to southeastern Utah.From the Wikipedia article “Hole N" The Rock”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hole N" The Rock 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 240° (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) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 59° ENE | 8:46 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 120° ESE | 5:01 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:04 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:34 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Hole N" The Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:10 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:42 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:25 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:29 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.91 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
- 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.
- Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
- 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 Hole N" The Rock, closest first.
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural Arch
Scenic ViewpointNatural Arch
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ken'S Lake Group Sites10.0 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
- Ken'S Lake Campground10.1 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
- Hatch Point Campground13.8 km (8.6 mi)
- The Ledge Group Sites16.2 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
- The Ledge Campground16.2 km (10.1 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hole N" The Rock?
What time is golden hour at Hole N" The Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hole N" The Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hole N" The Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hole N" The Rock?
How far is Hole N" The Rock from Moab?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.