Gregory Butte — a rock formation in Kane County, Utah — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 25 km (16 mi) NE of Page.
Gregory Butte is a 4,651-foot (1,418 meter) elevation sandstone summit located in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, in San Juan County of southern Utah. It is situated 7.3 miles (11.7 km) northeast of Tower Butte, and 16 miles (26 km) northeast of the town of Page. This iconic landmark of the Lake Powell area towers nearly 1,000 feet above the lake. Before Lake Powell was formed in the 1970s, this butte was set within a meander of the Colorado River. Gregory Butte is a butte composed of Entrada Sandstone. This sandstone, which was originally deposited as sandy mud on a tidal flat, is believed to have formed about 160 million years ago during the Jurassic period as a giant sand sea, the largest in Earth's history. This geographical feature's name was officially adopted in 1977 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Geologist Herbert E. Gregory (1869–1952), mapped much of the...From the Wikipedia article “Gregory Butte”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gregory Butte 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:29 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:06 AM | 60° ENE | 8:49 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 119° ESE | 5:12 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 37m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:49 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:35 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 42m |
| July | 5:48 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 38m |
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 Gregory Butte, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | 5:23 AM – 5:43 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 5:12 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:30 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:39 PM – 4:09 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 2:43 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 12:44 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 9:02 PM – 10:42 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 8:46 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 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 31% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 65 | 69 | 80 | 87 | 98 | 103 | 107 | 103 | 100 | 90 | 74 | 63 |
| Low °F | 2 | 1 | 15 | 21 | 26 | 37 | 54 | 50 | 32 | 16 | 13 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
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
- 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.
- Use the sunrise and sunset azimuths below to know which face will be lit.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Gregory Butte, closest first.
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Antelope Point Rv Park21 km (13 mi)
- Wahweap Campground & Rv Park25 km (15 mi)
- Beehives Primitive Campground27 km (17 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gregory Butte?
What time is golden hour at Gregory Butte?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gregory Butte?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gregory Butte?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gregory Butte?
How far is Gregory Butte from Page?
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.