Horseshoe Mesa is a rock formation in Coconino County, Arizona. It lies in or next to Grand Canyon National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 15.0 km (9.3 mi) ESE of Grand Canyon.
Horseshoe Mesa is a 5,246-foot-elevation mesa-summit located in the eastern Grand Canyon, in Coconino County of northern Arizona, United States. It is located 1.5 mi south of the Colorado River and Granite Gorge; also 4 mi due-south of the Cape Royal overlook, and ~2.0 mi northwest from Grandview Point, of the East South Rim, Grand Canyon. The Grandview Trail descends to Horseshoe Mesa, then drops down to meet the (mostly horizontal trail, on the Tonto Platform), the Tonto Trail. Horseshoe Mesa is shaped like a horseshoe, legs facing due-north towards the Colorado. The mesa is a mostly flat upper platform of Redwall Limestone, with its tall cliffs elevating the mesa. A peak of Supai Group is the prominence, at the mesa's south end.From the Wikipedia article “Horseshoe Mesa”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Horseshoe Mesa the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:32 AM | 90° E | 6:40 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 60° ENE | 7:49 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:17 AM | 89° E | 6:26 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 119° ESE | 5:18 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 42m |
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
Rock towers and buttes glow red and orange in the first and last half-hour of sun; midday light flattens their shape.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:23 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:56 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 4:41 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:17 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:15 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 5:20 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:03 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 44m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), 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 Horseshoe Mesa, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:21 AM – 5:11 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:22 AM – 4:22 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:28 PM – 3:38 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:37 PM – 3:17 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:31 PM – 1:51 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:54 PM – 11:54 PM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:04 PM – 9:44 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:19 PM – 7:49 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (50%). 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 | 62 | 67 | 79 | 86 | 96 | 102 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 87 | 77 | 63 |
| Low °F | 2 | 0 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 50 | 49 | 32 | 16 | 15 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
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 rock formation
- At night, a formation under the Milky Way or star trails makes a strong anchor.
- Use the sunrise and sunset azimuths below to know which face will be lit.
- Stay on trails; desert soils and lichens take decades to recover from footprints.
- Find a spot where the formation sits against open sky to emphasize its silhouette.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring and autumn are best in desert regions; winter snow on red rock is rare but spectacular.
Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Headlamp. 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 Horseshoe Mesa, closest first.
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Natural ArchRock FormationNatural Arch
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Canyon
Dark Sky PlaceCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hull Cabin6.8 km (4.2 mi) · reservable
- Trailer Village Rv Park - South Rim12.9 km (8.0 mi)
- Mather Campground13.3 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
- Desert View Campground13.9 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Tusayan - Montane16.3 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Horseshoe Mesa?
What time is golden hour at Horseshoe Mesa?
Where does the sun rise and set at Horseshoe Mesa?
Can you see the Milky Way from Horseshoe Mesa?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Horseshoe Mesa?
How far is Horseshoe Mesa from Grand Canyon?
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.