Located in Tooele County, Utah, Black Rock Site is a rock formation. It lies in or next to California National Historic Trail, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 10.8 km (6.7 mi) W of Magna.
From the National Park Service
It is likely that the first European Americans to encounter the Black Rock were the Bryant Russell party in 1846, the first travelers of the infamous Hastings Cutoff. While they do not specifically mention the Black Rock itself, they do describe crystalline springs just to the east, and the natural landscape would have forced them to travel within a few hundred yards of the geologic feature on their way westward (Madsen/Fuller 1983: 87).
It is more noteworthy however, that the English name of “Black Rock” has two points of origin, but both are connected to prominent patterns of American Western history. According to James F. Reed in 1871, the ill-fated Donner Party named “Black Rock” as they passed that location during their journey along the Hastings Cutoff in August of 1846. From the Pacific Rural Press (1871:188), Reed notes “We then followed [Hasting’s] road around the Lake without incident worthy of notice until reaching a swampy section of the country west of Black Rock, the name we gave it. Here we lost a few days on the score of humanity.” Site Information Location (13698 W Ieightywest Fwy, Salt Lake City, UT 84116. 1.4 miles southwest of the Great Salt Lake State Park Visitor Center (40.7254 N, -112.2276 W))
Amenities include a designated parking area and gravel walking path. The gravel path is level but not fully ADA. At present, a gate keeps vehicles from proceeding beyond the gravel parking area, but visitors are invited to walk or bike the remaining 0.4 mile to the Black Rock formation.
Safety Considerations More site information California National Historic Trail
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Black Rock Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:59 AM | 58° ENE | 9:04 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:50 AM | 121° ESE | 5:05 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 15m |
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 | 7:21 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:18 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:32 PM | 14h 49m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 16m |
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 Black Rock Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:46 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:57 AM – 6:07 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:57 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:53 AM – 4:13 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 11:09 PM – 3:49 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:00 PM – 2:20 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:12 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 9:13 PM – 10:23 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.13 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 33% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 74 | 84 | 95 | 99 | 104 | 101 | 97 | 87 | 71 | 56 |
| Low °F | -12 | 2 | 14 | 22 | 25 | 36 | 49 | 47 | 31 | 16 | 4 | -10 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.9 |
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
- 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.
- At night, a formation under the Milky Way or star trails makes a strong anchor.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Black Rock Site, closest first.
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Ghost Town
National ForestFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Black Rock Site?
What time is golden hour at Black Rock Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at Black Rock Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from Black Rock Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Black Rock Site?
How far is Black Rock Site from Magna?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.