Located in Cochise County, Arizona, Mountain Viewpoint is a scenic viewpoint. It sits roughly 14.8 km (9.2 mi) SSW of Benson.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mountain Viewpoint 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 299° (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) | 6:26 AM | 90° E | 6:33 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 62° ENE | 7:31 PM | 299° WNW | 82° | 14h 14m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:10 AM | 89° E | 6:20 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 117° ESE | 5:22 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 04m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 18m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:08 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:16 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 4:48 AM | 5:16 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:57 PM | 14h 13m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:57 PM | 14h 02m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:32 PM | 13h 19m |
| September | 5:42 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:38 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:53 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:01 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:58 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:15 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 32m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 05m |
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 Mountain Viewpoint, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:50 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:01 AM – 5:01 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:55 AM – 4:25 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 10:55 PM – 3:45 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:08 PM – 3:28 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:05 PM – 2:05 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:34 PM – 12:04 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 7:50 PM – 10:00 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:11 PM – 8:01 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.54 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 76 | 83 | 86 | 95 | 104 | 109 | 105 | 103 | 100 | 95 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 17 | 11 | 22 | 31 | 36 | 49 | 59 | 59 | 49 | 28 | 20 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Mountain Viewpoint, closest first.
Dark Sky Place
Ghost Town
National Forest
Ghost Town
Ghost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mountain Viewpoint?
What time is golden hour at Mountain Viewpoint?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mountain Viewpoint?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mountain Viewpoint?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mountain Viewpoint?
How far is Mountain Viewpoint from Benson?
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.