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34.2957° N110.7714° W2,232 mBortle 2Phoenix

Nelson Lake Point Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Coconino County, Arizona · 2,232 m (7,323 ft)

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Nelson Lake Point is a scenic viewpoint in Coconino County, Arizona at about 2,232 m (7,323 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Heber-Overgaard, about 23 km (14 mi) away (Nelson Lake Point lies SW of town).

Elevation
2,232 m
7,323 ft
Nearest town
Heber-Overgaard
23 km (14 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

Light at Nelson Lake Point

Live
Sunrise
6:33 AM
Sunset
5:44 PM
Golden hour AM
6:17 AM – 7:07 AM
Golden hour PM
5:10 PM – 6:00 PM
Blue hour AM
6:08 AM – 6:17 AM
Blue hour PM
6:00 PM – 6:09 PM
Full darkness
7:08 PM – 5:10 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
2:44 PM / 12:55 AM
Day length
11h 11m
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 Nelson Lake Point 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:28 AM90° E6:35 PM271° W56°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:12 AM61° ENE7:39 PM300° WNW79°14h 27m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:12 AM89° E6:21 PM271° W56°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:26 AM118° ESE5:18 PM242° WSW32°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:02 AM7:30 AM8:07 AM4:59 PM5:37 PM6:04 PM10h 07m
February6:43 AM7:09 AM7:44 AM5:33 PM6:07 PM6:33 PM10h 58m
March6:09 AM6:34 AM7:08 AM5:58 PM6:31 PM6:56 PM11h 57m
April5:27 AM5:52 AM6:26 AM6:21 PM6:55 PM7:21 PM13h 03m
May4:54 AM5:22 AM5:57 AM6:43 PM7:19 PM7:47 PM13h 57m
June4:42 AM5:11 AM5:48 AM7:00 PM7:37 PM8:07 PM14h 26m
July4:54 AM5:23 AM5:59 AM7:00 PM7:36 PM8:05 PM14h 14m
August5:19 AM5:45 AM6:19 AM6:38 PM7:12 PM7:38 PM13h 27m
September5:42 AM6:07 AM6:40 AM5:58 PM6:31 PM6:57 PM12h 24m
October6:04 AM6:29 AM7:03 AM5:16 PM5:50 PM6:15 PM11h 21m
November6:30 AM6:57 AM7:33 AM4:44 PM5:20 PM5:47 PM10h 23m
December6:55 AM7:23 AM8:01 AM4:37 PM5:15 PM5:43 PM9h 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 Nelson Lake Point, 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February5:01 AM – 5:41 AM0.716°SE → SE
March3:15 AM – 5:05 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April1:13 AM – 4:13 AM3.027°SE → S
May11:16 PM – 3:36 AM4.327°SE → SSW
June9:22 PM – 3:22 AM6.027°SE → SW
July9:18 PM – 1:58 AM4.727°SSE → SW
August8:43 PM – 11:53 PM3.227°S → SW
September7:56 PM – 9:56 PM2.024°SSW → SW
October7:13 PM – 7:53 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
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 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F67708087971021029997877869
Low °F-80111727385150361713-5
Precip. (in)1.61.61.00.60.50.22.52.41.41.01.21.8

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.
  • Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
  • 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 Nelson Lake Point, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Gentry Lookout Tower5.4 km away · Coconino County · 2,355 m
Black Canyon LakeLake
Black Canyon Lake7.6 km away · Navajo County · 2,154 m
Willow Springs LakeLake
Willow Springs Lake9.2 km away · Coconino County · 2,291 m
WilfordGhost Town
Wilford14 km away · Navajo County
Scenic Viewpoint
Military Sinkhole Observation Site14 km away · Gila County
Scenic Viewpoint
Buckskin Lookout Tower15 km away · Navajo County · 2,236 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Rim Lakes Vista Point16 km away · Gila County
Scenic Viewpoint
Woods Canyon Vista Point16 km away · Gila County
Scenic Viewpoint
Promontory Butte Lookout24 km away · Gila County · 2,402 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Nelson Lake Point?
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 Nelson Lake Point?
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 Nelson Lake Point?
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 Nelson Lake Point?
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 Nelson Lake Point?
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 Nelson Lake Point from Heber-Overgaard?
About 23 km (14 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.