Butler Wash Viewpoint — a scenic viewpoint in San Juan County, Utah at about 1,803 m (5,915 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 15.5 km (9.6 mi) WSW of Blanding.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Butler Wash Viewpoint the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:23 AM | 90° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 59° ENE | 8:44 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:07 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 120° ESE | 5:04 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:04 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Butler Wash Viewpoint, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:16 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:56 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 2:30 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:30 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 10:27 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and February 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 | 64 | 66 | 80 | 84 | 98 | 103 | 105 | 102 | 100 | 88 | 75 | 61 |
| Low °F | -6 | -1 | 10 | 20 | 25 | 36 | 49 | 50 | 32 | 14 | 11 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Butler Wash Viewpoint, closest first.
Natural ArchNatural Arch
Scenic ViewpointNatural ArchNatural Arch
State ParkScenic ViewpointNatural Arch
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Nizhoni24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Devils Canyon27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Natural Bridges Campground30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Butler Wash Viewpoint?
What time is golden hour at Butler Wash Viewpoint?
Where does the sun rise and set at Butler Wash Viewpoint?
Can you see the Milky Way from Butler Wash Viewpoint?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Butler Wash Viewpoint?
How far is Butler Wash Viewpoint from Blanding?
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.