Located in Sandoval County, New Mexico, Jemez Canyon Overlook is a scenic viewpoint at about 2,490 m (8,169 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 29 km (18 mi) NNE of Jemez Pueblo.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jemez Canyon Overlook 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 60° ENE | 8:27 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 119° ESE | 4:57 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 43m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 00m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 17m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 44m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Jemez Canyon Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:55 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:00 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:01 AM – 5:01 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 4:16 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:14 PM – 3:54 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 12:32 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 10:32 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:28 PM | 0.5 | 15° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.72 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (52%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 65 | 70 | 79 | 86 | 97 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 96 | 86 | 73 | 64 |
| Low °F | 0 | -3 | 13 | 20 | 25 | 38 | 52 | 48 | 31 | 18 | 11 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 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
- 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.
- 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 Jemez Canyon Overlook, closest first.
Hot Spring
Dark Sky Place
Waterfall
VolcanoHot Spring
Natural Arch
State Park
CaveHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Redondo Campground274 m · reservable
- San Antonio Campground3.5 km (2.2 mi) · reservable
- Jemez Falls (Nm) Picnic Area5.1 km (3.2 mi) · reservable
- Jemez Falls Campground5.1 km (3.2 mi) · reservable
- Paliza17.2 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jemez Canyon Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Jemez Canyon Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jemez Canyon Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Jemez Canyon Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jemez Canyon Overlook?
How far is Jemez Canyon Overlook from Jemez Pueblo?
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.