Located in Wayne County, Utah, Ekker Butte is a rock formation. It lies in or next to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Richfield, about 110 km (68 mi) away (Ekker Butte lies ESE of town).
Ekker Butte is a 6,260-foot (1,910-meter) elevation summit located in the northern reach of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, in Wayne County of Utah, United States. It is situated seven miles southeast of Buttes of the Cross, six miles northeast of Elaterite Butte, and less than two miles outside the boundary of Canyonlands National Park, where it towers over 1,400 feet (430 meters) above the surrounding terrain. Distant views of this remote butte can be seen from the Grand View Point and Green River Overlooks at Island in the Sky of Canyonlands National Park. This geological landmark is named for the pioneering Art Ekker family which operated the nearby Robbers Roost Ranch and grazed cattle on land adjacent to the nearby Maze. Arthur Benjamin Ekker (1911–1978) took Robert Redford on a tour of nearby Robbers Roost, the hideout of outlaw Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch.From the Wikipedia article “Ekker Butte”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ekker Butte 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) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:01 AM | 59° ENE | 8:51 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 120° ESE | 5:08 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 7:40 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:29 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:42 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 31m |
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 Ekker Butte, 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:34 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 4:24 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:46 PM – 3:56 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:39 PM – 2:39 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 12:37 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 10:33 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 8:35 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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
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 (55%). 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 | 61 | 68 | 79 | 87 | 99 | 104 | 106 | 101 | 100 | 88 | 73 | 62 |
| Low °F | -4 | -3 | 10 | 20 | 26 | 36 | 52 | 49 | 32 | 15 | 9 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Ekker Butte, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
Dark Sky Place
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Fruita Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Capitol Reef Group Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Lonesome Beaver Campground27 km (17 mi)
- Mcmillan Spring Campground27 km (17 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ekker Butte?
What time is golden hour at Ekker Butte?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ekker Butte?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ekker Butte?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ekker Butte?
How far is Ekker Butte from Richfield?
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.