East Canyon Dam, Morgan County, Utah
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40.9011° N111.5870° WBortle 4Denver

East Canyon State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Morgan County, Utah

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 239°–303°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: GreenGlass1972 · Public domain · source

Located in Morgan County, Utah, East Canyon State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 15.9 km (9.9 mi) W of Coalville.

East Canyon State Park is a state park of Utah, United States, featuring a 680-acre (280 ha) reservoir. The park is located northeast of Salt Lake City 8in Morgan County, Utah.From the Wikipedia article “East Canyon State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Coalville
15.9 km (9.9 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
September
34% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:10 PM
sunset 6:47 PM

Light at East Canyon State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:44 AM
Sunset
6:40 PM
Golden hour AM
7:27 AM – 8:21 AM
Golden hour PM
6:02 PM – 6:57 PM
Blue hour AM
7:16 AM – 7:27 AM
Blue hour PM
6:57 PM – 7:08 PM
Full darkness
8:11 PM – 6:13 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:57 PM / 1:45 AM
Day length
10h 56m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At East Canyon State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:31 AM90° E7:39 PM271° W49°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:55 AM58° ENE9:02 PM303° WNW73°15h 07m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:15 AM89° E7:25 PM271° W49°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:48 AM121° ESE5:02 PM239° WSW26°9h 14m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:19 AM7:49 AM8:32 AM4:41 PM5:23 PM5:54 PM9h 34m
February6:53 AM7:22 AM8:00 AM5:23 PM6:01 PM6:29 PM10h 40m
March7:12 AM7:39 AM8:15 AM6:57 PM7:33 PM8:01 PM11h 54m
April6:19 AM6:48 AM7:25 AM7:29 PM8:06 PM8:34 PM13h 18m
May5:38 AM6:10 AM6:49 AM7:58 PM8:38 PM9:09 PM14h 28m
June5:21 AM5:55 AM6:36 AM8:19 PM9:01 PM9:34 PM15h 06m
July5:36 AM6:08 AM6:48 AM8:17 PM8:58 PM9:30 PM14h 50m
August6:08 AM6:37 AM7:15 AM7:49 PM8:26 PM8:56 PM13h 49m
September6:40 AM7:08 AM7:44 AM7:01 PM7:37 PM8:05 PM12h 29m
October7:11 AM7:38 AM8:16 AM6:10 PM6:47 PM7:15 PM11h 09m
November6:45 AM7:15 AM7:55 AM4:28 PM5:09 PM5:39 PM9h 55m
December7:14 AM7:45 AM8:29 AM4:16 PM5:00 PM5:31 PM9h 15m

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 East Canyon State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:43 AM – 5:43 AM0.010°SE → SE
March4:55 AM – 6:05 AM1.217°SE → SSE
April2:54 AM – 5:04 AM2.220°SE → S
May12:51 AM – 4:11 AM3.320°SE → S
June11:08 PM – 3:38 AM4.520°SSE → SSW
July10:59 PM – 2:19 AM3.320°S → SW
August10:10 PM – 12:20 AM2.220°S → SW
September9:10 PM – 10:20 PM1.217°SSW → SW
October8:18 PM – 8:18 PM0.010°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
DecemberBelow 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: 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 ≈ 20.63 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F505667748490969288796549
Low °F-23-28-14-68223631191-17-21
Precip. (in)2.01.81.82.31.91.11.01.21.71.71.72.3

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

  • 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.
  • Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 East Canyon State Park, closest first.

East Canyon State ParkDark Sky Place
East Canyon State Park0.0 km away · Morgan County
Canyon
Dead Ox Canyon2.9 km away · Morgan County
Big Mountain PassMountain Pass
Big Mountain Pass9.9 km away · Morgan County · 2,264 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Centerville Canyon Overlook19 km away · Davis County · 2,332 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Bountiful Peak Overlook21 km away · Davis County · 2,711 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Ward Canyon Overlook22 km away · Davis County · 1,927 m
Dark Sky Place
Rockport State Park22 km away · Summit County
Scenic Viewpoint
Steed Creek Overlook23 km away · Davis County · 2,536 m
Red Butte Garden and ArboretumBotanical Garden
Red Butte Garden and Arboretum25 km away · Salt Lake County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph East Canyon State Park?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at East Canyon State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:10 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:47 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:16 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at East Canyon State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 303° to 239°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from East Canyon State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at East Canyon State Park?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is East Canyon State Park from Coalville?
About 15.9 km (9.9 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.