Kolob Arch is a natural arch in Washington County, Utah at about 1,910 m (6,266 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Zion National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 22 km (14 mi) NNE of Toquerville.
Kolob Arch is a natural arch in Zion National Park, Utah, United States. According to the Natural Arch and Bridge Society (NABS), it is the sixth-longest natural arch in the world. In 2006, the Society measured the span at 287.4 ± 2 feet (87.6 m), which is slightly shorter than Landscape Arch in Arches National Park. Differences in measuring technique or definitions could produce slightly different results and change this ranking.From the Wikipedia article “Kolob Arch”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kolob Arch the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:37 AM | 90° E | 7:45 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 59° ENE | 8:58 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 119° ESE | 5:19 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 35m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 9h 52m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:55 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:41 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 36m |
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 Kolob 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 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:31 AM – 5:51 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:38 AM – 6:08 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:41 AM – 5:21 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:40 AM – 4:30 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:50 PM – 4:10 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 2:44 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 12:44 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:11 PM – 10:41 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:24 PM – 8:44 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.74 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 22% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (51%). 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 | 68 | 70 | 80 | 86 | 96 | 103 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 87 | 77 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 26 | 37 | 52 | 48 | 32 | 16 | 10 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 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.
- 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 Kolob Arch, closest first.
Canyon
Scenic Viewpoint
Wilderness Area
Mountain PeakWilderness Area
Wilderness Area
Wilderness Area
Wilderness AreaWilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lava Point Campground11.9 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Pyramid Ridge Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Deer Haven28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Pine Valley Recreation Area 28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Pine Valley Guard Station28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kolob Arch?
What time is golden hour at Kolob Arch?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kolob Arch?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kolob Arch?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kolob Arch?
How far is Kolob Arch from Toquerville?
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.