Jerome State Historic Park — a state park in Yavapai County, Arizona — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Tuzigoot National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Clarkdale, about 5.2 km (3.2 mi) away (Jerome State Historic Park lies WSW of town).
Jerome State Historic Park is a state park of Arizona, United States, featuring the Douglas Mansion, built in 1916 by a family of influential mining entrepreneurs in Jerome, Arizona, a mining region in the northeast of the Black Hills, east Yavapai County. A museum is located in the old Douglas Mansion. Jerome State Historic Park reopened on October 14, 2010, after being closed since February 27, 2009, because of budget cuts and the need to repair the historic mansion. Renovation and stabilization were funded by a state heritage grant and donations from the Douglas family. The park is open on a seven-day schedule thanks to additional funding raised by Yavapai County, the city of Jerome, and the Jerome Historical Society.From the Wikipedia article “Jerome State Historic Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jerome State Historic 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 | 7:46 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:17 AM | 89° E | 6:27 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:33 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 | 7:09 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:38 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:31 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:27 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 | 5:16 AM | 5:53 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:14 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 4:58 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 5:47 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:02 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:48 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 Jerome State Historic 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.78 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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Jerome State Historic Park, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
State Park
Ghost Town
State Park
Wilderness Area
Natural Arch
National Forest
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Potato Patch Campground6.3 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Playground Group6.6 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- Mingus Mountain Campground And Group Site6.8 km (4.3 mi) · reservable
- Crescent Moon Ramada29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Crescent Moon Ranch Cabin29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jerome State Historic Park?
What time is golden hour at Jerome State Historic Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jerome State Historic Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Jerome State Historic Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jerome State Historic Park?
How far is Jerome State Historic Park from Clarkdale?
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.