Located in Coconino County, Arizona, Desert View Watchtower is a scenic viewpoint at about 2,272 m (7,454 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 28 km (18 mi) E of Grand Canyon.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Desert View Watchtower 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:32 AM | 90° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 60° ENE | 7:48 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:16 AM | 89° E | 6:26 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 119° ESE | 5:17 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 42m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:22 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:55 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 4:41 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:17 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:15 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:02 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 44m |
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 Desert View Watchtower, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:20 AM – 5:10 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:21 AM – 4:21 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:27 PM – 3:37 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:36 PM – 3:16 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:30 PM – 1:50 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:53 PM – 11:53 PM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:03 PM – 9:43 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:18 PM – 7:48 PM | 0.5 | 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (50%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 62 | 67 | 79 | 86 | 96 | 102 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 87 | 77 | 63 |
| Low °F | 2 | 0 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 50 | 49 | 32 | 16 | 15 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Desert View Watchtower, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Rock Formation
Mountain PeakRock FormationRock Formation
Natural Arch
WaterfallNatural Arch
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Desert View Campground654 m · reservable
- Hull Cabin13.7 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Trailer Village Rv Park - South Rim26 km (16 mi)
- Mather Campground26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- North Rim Campground (Az)28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Desert View Watchtower?
What time is golden hour at Desert View Watchtower?
Where does the sun rise and set at Desert View Watchtower?
Can you see the Milky Way from Desert View Watchtower?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Desert View Watchtower?
How far is Desert View Watchtower from Grand Canyon?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.