Gunlock State Park is a state park in Washington County, Utah. The nearest town is Ivins, about 13.2 km (8.2 mi) away (Gunlock State Park lies NW of town).
Gunlock State Park is a state park of Utah, United States, adjoining the 266-acre (108 ha) Gunlock Reservoir that impounds the Santa Clara River. The park is located approximately 15 miles (24 km) northwest of St George. The reservoir dam was constructed in 1970 for irrigation water and flood control. Gunlock State Park is a primitive area; there are facilities. The park offers camping, swimming, boating, and fishing. The park and reservoir are named after the nearby community of Gunlock. The town was named after William "Gunlock Will" Hamblin, its first settler. Hamblin was a Mormon pioneer born in Ohio who settled in the area in 1857. Gunlock Will was a good hunter and sharpshooter, and was skillful in repairing gunlocks, which are the firing mechanisms for muzzleloaders. The county road to the park is the Old Spanish Trail used by horsemen and raiders from Santa Fe, New...From the Wikipedia article “Gunlock State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gunlock State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (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) | 7:39 AM | 90° E | 7:47 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:16 AM | 59° ENE | 9:00 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:24 AM | 89° E | 7:34 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 119° ESE | 5:22 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 36m |
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 | 7:20 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:28 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:10 PM | 9h 53m |
| February | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:21 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:09 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 10m |
| June | 5:44 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:19 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 43m |
| July | 5:57 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:18 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 29m |
| August | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:19 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 11m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 37m |
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 Gunlock State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:33 AM – 5:53 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:39 AM – 6:09 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 5:22 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:41 AM – 4:41 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:51 PM – 4:21 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:45 PM – 2:55 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 12:55 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 9:13 PM – 10:53 PM | 1.7 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:26 PM – 8:46 PM | 0.3 | 14° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.47 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 22% 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 | 68 | 70 | 80 | 86 | 96 | 103 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 87 | 77 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 26 | 37 | 52 | 48 | 32 | 16 | 10 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
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
- 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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- 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 Gunlock State Park, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Canyon
State Park
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Wilderness AreaWilderness Area
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gunlock State Park?
What time is golden hour at Gunlock State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gunlock State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gunlock State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gunlock State Park?
How far is Gunlock State Park from Ivins?
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.