Gentry Lookout Tower, AZ: Photography Guide, Golden Hour & Milky Way

Located in Coconino County, Arizona, Gentry Lookout Tower is a scenic viewpoint at about 2,355 m (7,726 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 18.2 km (11.3 mi) SW of Heber-Overgaard.

Elevation

2,355 m

7,726 ft

Nearest town

Heber-Overgaard

18.2 km (11.3 mi)

Sky darkness

Bortle 2

Typical truly dark site

Clearest month

June

22% cloud

Milky Way peak

June

6.0 h window

Golden hour (Oct)

5:16 PM

sunset 5:50 PM

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Gentry Lookout Tower the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.

June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Date	Sunrise	Azimuth	Sunset	Azimuth	Noon sun	Daylight
March equinox (Mar 20)	6:27 AM	90° E	6:35 PM	271° W	56°	12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)	5:12 AM	61° ENE	7:39 PM	300° WNW	79°	14h 27m
September equinox (Sep 22)	6:12 AM	89° E	6:21 PM	271° W	56°	12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)	7:26 AM	118° ESE	5:18 PM	242° WSW	32°	9h 52m

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	7:02 AM	7:29 AM	8:07 AM	4:59 PM	5:36 PM	6:04 PM	10h 07m
February	6:43 AM	7:09 AM	7:44 AM	5:32 PM	6:07 PM	6:33 PM	10h 58m
March	6:09 AM	6:34 AM	7:07 AM	5:58 PM	6:31 PM	6:56 PM	11h 57m
April	5:26 AM	5:52 AM	6:26 AM	6:21 PM	6:55 PM	7:21 PM	13h 03m
May	4:54 AM	5:22 AM	5:57 AM	6:43 PM	7:19 PM	7:46 PM	13h 57m
June	4:42 AM	5:11 AM	5:48 AM	7:00 PM	7:37 PM	8:07 PM	14h 26m
July	4:54 AM	5:23 AM	5:59 AM	7:00 PM	7:36 PM	8:05 PM	14h 14m
August	5:18 AM	5:45 AM	6:19 AM	6:37 PM	7:12 PM	7:38 PM	13h 27m
September	5:42 AM	6:07 AM	6:40 AM	5:58 PM	6:31 PM	6:56 PM	12h 24m
October	6:03 AM	6:29 AM	7:03 AM	5:16 PM	5:50 PM	6:15 PM	11h 21m
November	6:30 AM	6:57 AM	7:33 AM	4:43 PM	5:20 PM	5:47 PM	10h 23m
December	6:55 AM	7:23 AM	8:01 AM	4:37 PM	5:15 PM	5:43 PM	9h 53m

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 Gentry Lookout Tower, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

Month	Core visible (15th)	Hours	Max altitude	Direction
January	Below 10° in darkness	—	0°	—
February	5:01 AM – 5:41 AM	0.7	16°	SE → SE
March	3:15 AM – 5:05 AM	1.8	23°	SE → SSE
April	1:13 AM – 4:13 AM	3.0	27°	SE → S
May	11:16 PM – 3:36 AM	4.3	27°	SE → SSW
June	9:22 PM – 3:22 AM	6.0	27°	SE → SW
July	9:18 PM – 1:58 AM	4.7	27°	SSE → SW
August	8:43 PM – 11:53 PM	3.2	27°	S → SW
September	7:56 PM – 9:56 PM	2.0	24°	SSW → SW
October	7:13 PM – 7:53 PM	0.7	16°	SW → SW
November	Below 10° in darkness	—	2°	—
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.71 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 July as the cloudiest (55%). 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 (%)

43%

44%

37%

34%

28%

22%

55%

48%

30%

27%

33%

46%

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	67	70	80	87	97	102	102	99	97	87	78	69
Low °F	-8	0	11	17	27	38	51	50	36	17	13	-5
Precip. (in)	1.6	1.6	1.0	0.6	0.5	0.2	2.5	2.4	1.4	1.0	1.2	1.8

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

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.
Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 Gentry Lookout Tower, closest first.

Lake

Black Canyon Lake3.4 km away · Navajo County · 2,154 m

Scenic Viewpoint

Nelson Lake Point5.4 km away · Coconino County · 2,232 m

Ghost Town

Wilford9.4 km away · Navajo County

Scenic Viewpoint

Buckskin Lookout Tower10 km away · Navajo County · 2,236 m

Lake

Willow Springs Lake14 km away · Coconino County · 2,291 m

Scenic Viewpoint

Military Sinkhole Observation Site20 km away · Gila County

Scenic Viewpoint

Rim Lakes Vista Point21 km away · Gila County

Scenic Viewpoint

Woods Canyon Vista Point21 km away · Gila County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Gentry Lookout Tower?

June has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.

What time is golden hour at Gentry Lookout Tower?

In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:16 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:50 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:03 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.

Where does the sun rise and set at Gentry Lookout Tower?

Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.

Can you see the Milky Way from Gentry Lookout Tower?

Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).

Do you need a permit to photograph at Gentry Lookout Tower?

Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.

How far is Gentry Lookout Tower from Heber-Overgaard?

About 18.2 km (11.3 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.

Gentry Lookout Tower Photography Guide

Light at Gentry Lookout Tower

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

Sunrise & sunset directions

Golden hour & blue hour by month

Milky Way & night sky

Weather & best season

Average cloud cover (%)

Photography tips for this scenic viewpoint

Nearby photo spots

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

Sources