Accessible Scenic Overlook is a scenic viewpoint in Coconino County, Arizona. It lies in or next to Walnut Canyon National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Flagstaff, about 13.3 km (8.3 mi) away (Accessible Scenic Overlook lies ESE of town).
From the National Park Service
The accessible scenic overlook includes a viewpoint of Walnut Canyon and Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. It is 150 feet from the visitor center, along a paved accessible path. There is a bench located at the overlook for easy viewing of the canyon's features. Informational park signs describe the canyon and its history. This is also a great location for viewing wildlife. Ancestral Puebloan Cliff Dwellings The cliff dwellings that are visible from the viewpoint were occupied by Native people from 1100 - 1250 CE. These dwellings provided shelter from variable weather conditions. Residents accessed the bottom of Walnut Canyon by traversing fractures in the sandstone. Many of the trails that they created are no longer seen, but these fractures are still visible from this viewpoint. Geology Walnut Creek, a small meandering waterway slowly carved out Walnut Canyon. On average, the canyon is 400 feet deep. Two layers of exposed sedimentary rocks can be identified. The top layer is Kaibab Limestone. Softer layers within the limestone wore away faster creating natural alcoves. Native people utilized these alcoves to construct their cliff dwelling homes. Below the limestone is the Coconino Sandstone. This layer was formed when ancient coastal dunes were solidified into stone.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Accessible Scenic Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:30 AM | 90° E | 6:38 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 60° ENE | 7:44 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:15 AM | 89° E | 6:24 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 119° ESE | 5:18 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 47m |
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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:07 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:23 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 14h 01m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:13 PM | 14h 31m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:11 PM | 14h 18m |
| August | 5:20 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:00 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 48m |
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 Accessible Scenic Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | 5:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:18 AM – 5:08 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:23 PM – 3:33 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:30 PM – 3:20 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:26 PM – 1:56 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:49 PM – 11:49 PM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:00 PM – 9:50 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:17 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.7 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.09 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 73 | 84 | 90 | 101 | 106 | 106 | 104 | 102 | 91 | 80 | 71 |
| Low °F | 4 | 3 | 14 | 22 | 28 | 39 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 18 | 12 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Accessible Scenic Overlook, closest first.
Canyon
Volcano
Mountain Peak
Dark Sky PlaceVolcano
State Park
Rock FormationVolcanoVolcanoCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Canyon Vista9.8 km (6.1 mi) · reservable
- Lakeview Campground (Az)11.8 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Little Elden Springs Horsecamp13.6 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Pinegrove16.3 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
- Ashurst Lake19.2 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Accessible Scenic Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Accessible Scenic Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Accessible Scenic Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Accessible Scenic Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Accessible Scenic Overlook?
How far is Accessible Scenic Overlook from Flagstaff?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.