Dead Horse Ranch State Park is a state park in Yavapai County, Arizona. It lies in or next to Tuzigoot National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 1.7 km (1.1 mi) NNW of Cottonwood.
Dead Horse Ranch State Park is a state park of Arizona, United States, on the Verde River in an area known as the Verde River Greenway. Located at approximately 3,300 feet (1,000 m) elevation, Dead Horse Ranch State Park covers 423 acres (1.71 km2) of land with 10 miles (16 km) of hiking trails, 150 campground sites and several picnic areas, along with 23 group camping sites. It also offers trailhead access to the Dead Horse Trail System, located on adjacent Coconino National Forest land. The ranch was originally named by the Ireys family, who sold the land to the state of Arizona to become a state park.From the Wikipedia article “Dead Horse Ranch State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dead Horse Ranch State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:33 AM | 90° E | 6:40 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 61° ENE | 7:45 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:17 AM | 89° E | 6:26 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 118° ESE | 5:22 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:08 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:31 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:53 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:13 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 4:58 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 5:47 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:02 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 50m |
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 Dead Horse Ranch State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:20 AM – 5:10 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:19 AM – 4:19 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:23 PM – 3:43 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:30 PM – 3:20 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:25 PM – 1:55 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:50 PM – 12:00 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:02 PM – 9:52 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:18 PM – 7:58 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.46 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (45%). 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 | 72 | 75 | 84 | 91 | 99 | 109 | 107 | 105 | 103 | 94 | 83 | 73 |
| Low °F | 2 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 33 | 43 | 54 | 50 | 40 | 25 | 20 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. 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 40 km of Dead Horse Ranch State Park, closest first.
State Park
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
State Park
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
National Forest
Dark Sky PlaceCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mingus Mountain Campground And Group Site11.9 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Playground Group12.8 km (7.9 mi) · reservable
- Potato Patch Campground13.7 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Crescent Moon Ramada21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Crescent Moon Ranch Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dead Horse Ranch State Park?
What time is golden hour at Dead Horse Ranch State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dead Horse Ranch State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dead Horse Ranch State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dead Horse Ranch State Park?
How far is Dead Horse Ranch State Park from Cottonwood?
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.