Castle Rock — a scenic viewpoint in Cochise County, Arizona at about 1,660 m (5,446 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.2 km (0.7 mi) SE of Bisbee.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Castle Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:24 AM | 90° E | 6:32 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 62° ENE | 7:28 PM | 298° WNW | 82° | 14h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:09 AM | 89° E | 6:18 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 117° ESE | 5:21 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 06m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 19m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:32 PM | 11h 05m |
| March | 6:06 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:03 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:27 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:24 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 13h 45m |
| June | 4:47 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:55 PM | 14h 11m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:54 PM | 14h 00m |
| August | 5:20 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 13h 18m |
| September | 5:40 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:37 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:51 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 5:59 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:56 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:13 PM | 11h 26m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 34m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 07m |
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 Castle Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:54 AM – 4:24 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 10:53 PM – 3:43 AM | 4.8 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:06 PM – 3:36 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:03 PM – 2:03 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:32 PM – 12:02 AM | 3.5 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 7:49 PM – 9:59 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:10 PM – 8:00 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.39 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 22% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (60%). June 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 | 74 | 83 | 86 | 94 | 105 | 108 | 108 | 103 | 99 | 94 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | 19 | 9 | 20 | 28 | 35 | 50 | 60 | 58 | 49 | 26 | 20 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
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
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- 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.
- 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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Castle Rock?
What time is golden hour at Castle Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Castle Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Castle Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Castle Rock?
How far is Castle Rock from Bisbee?
Sources
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors. 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.