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38.0042° N109.6940° W1,840 mBortle 1Denver

Long Arch Photography Guide

Natural Arch in San Juan County, Utah · 1,840 m (6,037 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Located in San Juan County, Utah, Long Arch is a natural arch at about 1,840 m (6,037 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 34 km (21 mi) WNW of Monticello.

Elevation
1,840 m
6,037 ft
Nearest town
Monticello
34 km (21 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

Light at Long Arch

Live
Sunrise
7:33 AM
Sunset
6:36 PM
Golden hour AM
7:17 AM – 8:09 AM
Golden hour PM
6:00 PM – 6:52 PM
Blue hour AM
7:06 AM – 7:17 AM
Blue hour PM
6:52 PM – 7:02 PM
Full darkness
8:04 PM – 6:06 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:46 PM / 1:43 AM
Day length
11h 03m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Long 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 29° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:23 AM90° E7:31 PM271° W52°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:57 AM59° ENE8:45 PM301° WNW75°14h 48m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:07 AM89° E7:17 PM271° W52°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:32 AM120° ESE5:03 PM241° WSW29°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:05 AM7:34 AM8:14 AM4:43 PM5:23 PM5:52 PM9h 49m
February6:43 AM7:10 AM7:46 AM5:21 PM5:58 PM6:25 PM10h 48m
March7:05 AM7:31 AM8:06 AM6:51 PM7:26 PM7:53 PM11h 55m
April6:17 AM6:44 AM7:19 AM7:20 PM7:55 PM8:22 PM13h 11m
May5:40 AM6:09 AM6:47 AM7:45 PM8:23 PM8:52 PM14h 13m
June5:25 AM5:56 AM6:36 AM8:04 PM8:44 PM9:15 PM14h 47m
July5:38 AM6:09 AM6:47 AM8:03 PM8:42 PM9:12 PM14h 33m
August6:07 AM6:35 AM7:11 AM7:37 PM8:14 PM8:42 PM13h 39m
September6:35 AM7:01 AM7:36 AM6:54 PM7:28 PM7:55 PM12h 27m
October7:01 AM7:28 AM8:04 AM6:07 PM6:42 PM7:09 PM11h 15m
November6:32 AM7:00 AM7:39 AM4:30 PM5:08 PM5:36 PM10h 08m
December6:59 AM7:28 AM8:10 AM4:20 PM5:01 PM5:31 PM9h 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 Long 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:17 AM – 5:37 AM0.313°SE → SE
March4:24 AM – 5:54 AM1.519°SE → SSE
April2:28 AM – 5:08 AM2.723°SE → S
May12:28 AM – 4:18 AM3.823°SE → S
June10:40 PM – 4:00 AM5.323°SE → SW
July10:33 PM – 2:33 AM4.023°SSE → SW
August9:52 PM – 12:32 AM2.723°S → SW
September8:58 PM – 10:28 PM1.520°SSW → SW
October8:10 PM – 8:30 PM0.313°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
DecemberBelow 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F596277859810210410098877359
Low °F-7-8818223448473278-4
Precip. (in)0.81.01.00.80.80.51.21.21.31.20.81.1

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

  • 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.
  • At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

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 Long Arch, closest first.

Natural Arch
Cleft Arch1.1 km away · San Juan County
Natural Arch
Gunsight Natural Bridge2.3 km away · San Juan County
Natural Arch
Caterpillar Arch2.4 km away · San Juan County
Natural Arch
Hand Hold Arch2.8 km away · San Juan County
Natural Arch
Fisheye Arch3.0 km away · San Juan County
Natural Arch
Natural Bridge3.8 km away · San Juan County
Natural Arch
Natural Arch4.2 km away · San Juan County
Natural Arch
Wedding Ring Arch4.5 km away · San Juan County
Natural Arch
Kirk Arch6.0 km away · San Juan County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Long Arch?
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 Long Arch?
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 Long Arch?
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 Long Arch?
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 Long Arch?
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 Long Arch from Monticello?
About 34 km (21 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.