Located in Cochise County, Arizona, Wagon Massacre Site is a scenic viewpoint. The nearest town is Willcox, about 35 km (22 mi) away (Wagon Massacre Site lies ESE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wagon Massacre Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (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. OpenStreetMap records this view as facing SW (225°), which lines up with winter sunsets.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:22 AM | 90° E | 6:30 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 62° ENE | 7:28 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:07 AM | 89° E | 6:16 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 118° ESE | 5:18 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 02m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 6:05 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:24 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:13 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:21 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 13h 48m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:55 PM | 14h 15m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:23 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:54 PM | 14h 03m |
| August | 5:17 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 5:38 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:35 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:50 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 5:57 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:55 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:11 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 03m |
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 Wagon Massacre Site, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:58 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:53 AM – 4:13 AM | 3.3 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 10:53 PM – 3:43 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:08 PM – 3:28 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:04 PM – 2:04 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:32 PM – 12:02 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 7:48 PM – 9:58 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:08 PM – 7:58 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.88 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 74 | 82 | 87 | 96 | 106 | 109 | 111 | 106 | 103 | 96 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | 17 | 11 | 21 | 29 | 35 | 48 | 62 | 61 | 46 | 28 | 20 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Wagon Massacre Site, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Natural Arch
CanyonScenic Viewpoint
Dark Sky PlaceScenic Viewpoint
Fire LookoutCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wagon Massacre Site?
What time is golden hour at Wagon Massacre Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wagon Massacre Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wagon Massacre Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wagon Massacre Site?
How far is Wagon Massacre Site from Willcox?
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.