Located in Mohave County, Arizona, Tri-State Viewpoint is a scenic viewpoint at about 1,064 m (3,491 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Bullhead City, about 22 km (13 mi) away (Tri-State Viewpoint lies ESE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tri-State Viewpoint 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 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:42 AM | 90° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 60° ENE | 7:56 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:26 AM | 89° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 119° ESE | 5:30 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:47 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:07 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:03 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 4:54 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:22 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:33 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:29 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 49m |
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 Tri-State Viewpoint, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:29 AM – 5:19 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:29 AM – 4:29 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:33 PM – 3:53 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:40 PM – 3:30 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:35 PM – 2:05 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:11 PM – 10:01 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:27 PM – 8:07 PM | 0.7 | 16° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.56 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (43%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 79 | 79 | 91 | 98 | 107 | 115 | 116 | 112 | 111 | 100 | 89 | 76 |
| Low °F | 19 | 21 | 26 | 32 | 39 | 51 | 64 | 59 | 47 | 28 | 23 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Tri-State Viewpoint, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Natural ArchNatural ArchWilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tri-State Viewpoint?
What time is golden hour at Tri-State Viewpoint?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tri-State Viewpoint?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tri-State Viewpoint?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tri-State Viewpoint?
How far is Tri-State Viewpoint from Bullhead City?
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.