Located in Grand County, Utah, Three Penguins is a rock formation. It lies in or next to Arches National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 7.8 km (4.8 mi) NW of Moab.
Three Penguins is a 4,488-foot-elevation (1,368-meter) summit in Grand County, Utah, United States.From the Wikipedia article “Three Penguins”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Three Penguins 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 302° (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) | 7:23 AM | 90° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 59° ENE | 8:47 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:07 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:33 AM | 120° ESE | 5:01 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 7:04 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:34 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Three Penguins, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:10 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:42 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:25 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:29 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.65 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 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 Three Penguins, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Rock Formation
Rock FormationScenic Viewpoint
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural Arch
Natural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Gold Bar Group Sites5.0 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- 5.3 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Goose Island Campground5.3 km (3.3 mi)
- Goose Island Group Sites5.3 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Grandstaff Campground7.4 km (4.6 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Three Penguins?
What time is golden hour at Three Penguins?
Where does the sun rise and set at Three Penguins?
Can you see the Milky Way from Three Penguins?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Three Penguins?
How far is Three Penguins from Moab?
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.