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32.6501° N109.8492° WBortle 2Phoenix

Heliograph Peak Fire Lookout Tower Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Graham County, Arizona

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–299°
  • Clearest: May
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Graham County, Arizona, Heliograph Peak Fire Lookout Tower is a scenic viewpoint. It sits roughly 15.4 km (9.6 mi) SW of Swift Trail Junction.

Nearest town
Swift Trail Junction
15.4 km (9.6 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
May
24% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:14 PM
sunset 5:48 PM

Light at Heliograph Peak Fire Lookout Tower

Live
Sunrise
6:28 AM
Sunset
5:42 PM
Golden hour AM
6:12 AM – 7:01 AM
Golden hour PM
5:08 PM – 5:57 PM
Blue hour AM
6:03 AM – 6:12 AM
Blue hour PM
5:57 PM – 6:07 PM
Full darkness
7:04 PM – 5:06 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
2:38 PM / 12:55 AM
Day length
11h 14m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Phoenix. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Heliograph Peak Fire 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 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:24 AM90° E6:31 PM271° W57°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:13 AM61° ENE7:31 PM299° WNW81°14h 18m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:08 AM89° E6:18 PM271° W58°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:18 AM118° ESE5:18 PM243° WSW34°10h 00m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:56 AM7:22 AM7:59 AM5:00 PM5:37 PM6:03 PM10h 14m
February6:38 AM7:03 AM7:37 AM5:32 PM6:06 PM6:31 PM11h 02m
March6:06 AM6:31 AM7:03 AM5:55 PM6:28 PM6:52 PM11h 57m
April5:25 AM5:50 AM6:23 AM6:17 PM6:50 PM7:15 PM12h 59m
May4:55 AM5:22 AM5:56 AM6:37 PM7:12 PM7:39 PM13h 50m
June4:44 AM5:12 AM5:48 AM6:53 PM7:29 PM7:58 PM14h 17m
July4:55 AM5:23 AM5:59 AM6:53 PM7:29 PM7:57 PM14h 06m
August5:18 AM5:44 AM6:17 AM6:32 PM7:06 PM7:32 PM13h 22m
September5:39 AM6:04 AM6:36 AM5:55 PM6:27 PM6:52 PM12h 23m
October5:59 AM6:24 AM6:57 AM5:14 PM5:48 PM6:12 PM11h 24m
November6:24 AM6:50 AM7:26 AM4:44 PM5:20 PM5:46 PM10h 29m
December6:48 AM7:15 AM7:52 AM4:38 PM5:16 PM5:43 PM10h 01m

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 Heliograph Peak Fire Lookout Tower, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
February4:48 AM – 5:38 AM0.817°SE → SE
March2:59 AM – 4:59 AM2.025°SE → SSE
April12:55 AM – 4:15 AM3.328°SE → S
May10:56 PM – 3:36 AM4.728°SE → SSW
June9:11 PM – 3:21 AM6.228°SE → SW
July9:07 PM – 1:57 AM4.828°SSE → SW
August8:35 PM – 11:55 PM3.328°S → SW
September7:50 PM – 10:00 PM2.225°SSW → SW
October7:09 PM – 7:59 PM0.817°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
DecemberBelow 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 May as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F74828796106109111106103968576
Low °F171121293548626146282019
Precip. (in)1.01.00.60.20.20.53.02.51.70.70.71.0

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.
  • Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

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 Heliograph Peak Fire Lookout Tower, closest first.

Mount GrahamMountain Peak
Mount Graham6.1 km away · Graham County · 3,260 m
Waterfall
Grant Creek Falls6.1 km away · Graham County
Scenic Viewpoint
Fort Grant Vista Point7.0 km away · Graham County · 2,852 m
Fire Lookout
Webb Peak Lookout Tower9.7 km away · Graham County
Scenic Viewpoint
Webb Peak Fire Lookout Tower9.7 km away · Graham County
Waterfall
Ash Creek Falls9.8 km away · Graham County · 2,412 m
Hot Spring
Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring17 km away · Graham County
Fire Lookout
West Peak Lookout Tower20 km away · Graham County
Scenic Viewpoint
West Peak Fire Lookout Tower20 km away · Graham County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Heliograph Peak Fire Lookout Tower?
May 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 Heliograph Peak Fire Lookout Tower?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:14 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:48 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 6:57 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Heliograph Peak Fire Lookout Tower?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 243°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Heliograph Peak Fire 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 Heliograph Peak Fire 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 Heliograph Peak Fire Lookout Tower from Swift Trail Junction?
About 15.4 km (9.6 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.