Washer Woman — a natural arch in San Juan County, Utah at about 1,713 m (5,620 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 Moab, about 32 km (20 mi) away (Washer Woman lies SW of town).
Washer Woman is a 500-foot-tall (150-meter) sandstone arch and tower located in the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park, in San Juan County, Utah. It is situated 300 feet northwest of the slightly higher Monster Tower. Washer Woman is so named because the feature gives the appearance of a washerwoman bent over a washtub. This geographical feature's name was officially adopted in 1986 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names after previously having similar names such as Washer-Woman Arch and The Washer Woman. Washer Woman and Monster Tower are an eroded fin composed of Wingate Sandstone, which is the remains of wind-borne sand dunes deposited approximately 200 million years ago in the Late Triassic. Airport Tower is set 1.6 mi (2.6 km) to the east, and Mesa Arch is situated 1.5 mi (2.4 km) to the west. A short hike to Mesa Arch provides the easiest view of Washer...From the Wikipedia article “Washer Woman”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Washer Woman 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) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 59° ENE | 8:47 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 120° ESE | 5:03 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 | 7:07 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 47m |
| 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 | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:24 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:06 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:30 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 Washer Woman, 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 | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:35 AM – 5:55 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:30 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:31 AM – 4:11 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 3:53 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 2:26 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:30 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 ≈ 21.93 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.
- 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.
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 Washer Woman, closest first.
Natural Arch
Rock Formation
Scenic Viewpoint
Rock Formation
Rock FormationRock FormationScenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cowboy Camp Campground19.3 km (12.0 mi)
- Hatch Point Campground19.6 km (12.2 mi)
- 22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Horsethief Campground22 km (13 mi)
- Horsethief Group Sites22 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Washer Woman?
What time is golden hour at Washer Woman?
Where does the sun rise and set at Washer Woman?
Can you see the Milky Way from Washer Woman?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Washer Woman?
How far is Washer Woman from Moab?
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.