Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum is a state park in San Juan County, Utah. It sits roughly 1.2 km (0.7 mi) NW of Blanding. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum is a state park and museum of Utah, USA, located in Blanding. It is an Ancestral Puebloan archaeological site, a museum, and an archaeological repository. Cowboys from the nearby town of Bluff camped there in the late 19th century and called the site Edge of the Cedars because it sits on the edge of a natural boundary, separating a heavily forested region and a treeless landscape to the south. Cedar is a term locals use for the Utah juniper tree.From the Wikipedia article “Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum 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) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 59° ENE | 8:44 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 120° ESE | 5:04 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:04 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, 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 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 | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:16 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:37 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 2:30 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:30 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 10:26 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:29 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: 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 ≈ 20.66 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 64 | 66 | 80 | 84 | 98 | 103 | 105 | 102 | 100 | 88 | 75 | 61 |
| Low °F | -6 | -1 | 10 | 20 | 25 | 36 | 49 | 50 | 32 | 14 | 11 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 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
- 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.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, closest first.
Natural Arch
Canyon
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain PeakNatural ArchNatural ArchScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Devils Canyon13.6 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
- Nizhoni17.3 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
- Buckboard28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum?
What time is golden hour at Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum?
How far is Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum from Blanding?
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.