Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail — a scenic viewpoint in San Juan County, Utah — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Canyonlands National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Monticello, about 52 km (32 mi) away (Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail lies NW of town).
From the National Park Service
Discover stunning views of the sandstone spires that characterize the Needles. Roundtrip Distance : 5.8 mi (9.3 km) Time : 3-4 hrs Overall Elevation Change : 533 ft (162 m) Cumulative elevation gain on this route is much greater. Difficulty : Strenuous Hike Description : This popular trail leads to a pass overlooking a scenic expanse of desert grasses and shrubs surrounded by sandstone spires. Bring : Water (1 L per person, per hour), snacks, sturdy footwear, headlamp, map, and be prepared for, sun, rain, heat, or cold. Accessibility : This trail can be rough, uneven, and requires walking and scrambling on rocky slopes. It is not accessible to wheelchairs. In winter, there may be snow or icy conditions; we recommend traction devices for hikers. Dogs are not allowed on this trail . Service animals are allowed in national parks. What is a service animal?
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail 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 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 59° ENE | 8:46 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:33 AM | 120° ESE | 5:03 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 9h 31m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:05 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 4:19 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:34 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 12:33 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 59 | 62 | 77 | 85 | 98 | 102 | 104 | 100 | 98 | 87 | 73 | 59 |
| Low °F | -7 | -8 | 8 | 18 | 22 | 34 | 48 | 47 | 32 | 7 | 8 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 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
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Canyon
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural Arch
Natural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Canyonlands National Park Needles District Campground6.6 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- Hamburger Rock Campground14.9 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Indian Creek Falls Group Site15.1 km (9.4 mi) · reservable
- Creek Pasture Group Site17.2 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
- Creek Pasture Campground17.3 km (10.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail?
What time is golden hour at Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail?
How far is Chesler Park Viewpoint Trail from Monticello?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.