Echo Canyon State Park — a state park in Lincoln County, Nevada — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Pioche, about 16.9 km (10.5 mi) away (Echo Canyon State Park lies E of town).
Echo Canyon State Park is a public recreation area located about twelve miles (19 km) east of the town of Pioche, Nevada, United States. The state park surrounds the seventy-acre (28 ha) Echo Canyon Reservoir. The scenic area around Echo Canyon has several ranches and farms. The park ranges in elevation from 5,200 feet (1,600 m) to 5,600 feet (1,700 m) and sees occasional winter snows.From the Wikipedia article “Echo Canyon State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Echo Canyon State Park 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:41 AM | 90° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 59° ENE | 8:03 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:26 AM | 89° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 120° ESE | 4:22 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:35 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:38 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:10 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:54 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:13 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:27 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:57 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:27 PM | 4:55 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:28 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:49 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Echo Canyon State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 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 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 | 4:35 AM – 4:55 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:42 AM – 5:12 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:47 AM – 4:27 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 11:46 PM – 3:36 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 9:58 PM – 3:18 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:51 PM – 1:51 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:10 PM – 11:50 PM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:16 PM – 9:46 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:28 PM – 7:48 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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 ≈ 21.9 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (51%). 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 | 69 | 70 | 81 | 87 | 98 | 105 | 104 | 104 | 102 | 89 | 77 | 63 |
| Low °F | 0 | 7 | 18 | 22 | 27 | 37 | 53 | 49 | 33 | 18 | 13 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 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
- 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
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 Echo Canyon State Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
Natural Arch
State Park
State Park
Hot SpringFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Echo Canyon State Park?
What time is golden hour at Echo Canyon State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Echo Canyon State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Echo Canyon State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Echo Canyon State Park?
How far is Echo Canyon State Park from Pioche?
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.