Picacho Peak State Park — a state park in Pinal County, Arizona — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Eloy, about 19.0 km (11.8 mi) away (Picacho Peak State Park lies SE of town).
Picacho Peak State Park is a state park surrounding Picacho Peak in Picacho, Arizona. The park is located between Casa Grande and Tucson near Interstate 10 in Pinal County. Its centerpiece spire is visible from downtown Tucson, a distance of 45 miles (72 km). The summit rises to 3,374 feet (1,028 m) above mean sea level. Though appearing to be the remnant of a volcanic neck, it is now believed to be a tilted and eroded piece of rock overlain by a lava flow.From the Wikipedia article “Picacho Peak State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Picacho Peak 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 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:30 AM | 90° E | 6:38 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:19 AM | 61° ENE | 7:37 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:15 AM | 89° E | 6:24 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 118° ESE | 5:25 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 00m |
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:31 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:21 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:01 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 4:50 AM | 5:18 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:04 PM | 14h 17m |
| July | 5:02 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:03 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 01m |
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 Picacho Peak State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:55 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:02 AM – 4:22 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:03 PM – 3:43 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:18 PM – 3:28 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:14 PM – 2:04 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:42 PM – 12:02 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 7:57 PM – 10:07 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:16 PM – 8:06 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.15 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 84 | 87 | 97 | 102 | 111 | 117 | 114 | 112 | 111 | 104 | 95 | 84 |
| Low °F | 21 | 19 | 28 | 37 | 42 | 58 | 66 | 67 | 55 | 36 | 25 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 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 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
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Picacho Peak State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Picacho Peak State Park?
What time is golden hour at Picacho Peak State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Picacho Peak State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Picacho Peak State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Picacho Peak State Park?
How far is Picacho Peak State Park from Eloy?
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.