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39.6297° N111.3205° W2,839 mBortle 3Denver

Fairview Lakes Overlook Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Sanpete County, Utah · 2,839 m (9,314 ft)

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Fairview Lakes Overlook is a scenic viewpoint in Sanpete County, Utah at about 2,839 m (9,314 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Fairview, about 10.2 km (6.3 mi) away (Fairview Lakes Overlook lies E of town).

Elevation
2,839 m
9,314 ft
Nearest town
Fairview
10.2 km (6.3 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
32% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:11 PM
sunset 6:47 PM

Light at Fairview Lakes Overlook

Live
Sunrise
7:41 AM
Sunset
6:40 PM
Golden hour AM
7:24 AM – 8:18 AM
Golden hour PM
6:03 PM – 6:57 PM
Blue hour AM
7:14 AM – 7:24 AM
Blue hour PM
6:57 PM – 7:08 PM
Full darkness
8:10 PM – 6:12 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:55 PM / 1:47 AM
Day length
10h 59m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Fairview Lakes Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:30 AM90° E7:38 PM271° W50°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:59 AM58° ENE8:57 PM302° WNW74°14h 58m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:14 AM89° E7:24 PM271° W51°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:43 AM120° ESE5:05 PM240° WSW27°9h 22m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:15 AM7:45 AM8:26 AM4:44 PM5:26 PM5:55 PM9h 41m
February6:51 AM7:19 AM7:56 AM5:25 PM6:02 PM6:30 PM10h 44m
March7:11 AM7:38 AM8:13 AM6:57 PM7:33 PM7:59 PM11h 55m
April6:21 AM6:48 AM7:25 AM7:27 PM8:03 PM8:31 PM13h 15m
May5:41 AM6:12 AM6:50 AM7:55 PM8:33 PM9:04 PM14h 21m
June5:25 AM5:58 AM6:38 AM8:15 PM8:55 PM9:28 PM14h 57m
July5:39 AM6:11 AM6:50 AM8:13 PM8:53 PM9:25 PM14h 42m
August6:10 AM6:38 AM7:15 AM7:46 PM8:23 PM8:52 PM13h 44m
September6:40 AM7:07 AM7:43 AM7:00 PM7:36 PM8:03 PM12h 28m
October7:09 AM7:36 AM8:12 AM6:11 PM6:47 PM7:15 PM11h 11m
November6:42 AM7:10 AM7:50 AM4:31 PM5:11 PM5:40 PM10h 01m
December7:09 AM7:40 AM8:22 AM4:20 PM5:03 PM5:33 PM9h 23m

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 Fairview Lakes Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
February5:32 AM – 5:42 AM0.211°SE → SE
March4:42 AM – 6:02 AM1.318°SE → SSE
April2:40 AM – 5:10 AM2.521°SE → S
May12:43 AM – 4:13 AM3.521°SE → S
June10:57 PM – 3:47 AM4.821°SE → SSW
July10:49 PM – 2:29 AM3.721°S → SW
August10:04 PM – 12:24 AM2.321°S → SW
September9:07 PM – 10:27 PM1.318°SSW → SW
October8:17 PM – 8:27 PM0.212°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.69 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (59%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F505768748590949289786651
Low °F-27-21-8115223633192-17-17
Precip. (in)1.31.31.31.41.20.71.01.11.31.31.21.7

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 Fairview Lakes Overlook, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Sanpete Valley Overlook1.5 km away · Sanpete County · 2,975 m
Ghost Town
Winter Quarters15 km away · Carbon County
Scenic Viewpoint
Johnson Ridge Overlook20 km away · Sanpete County · 2,784 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Fairview Lakes Overlook?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
What time is golden hour at Fairview Lakes Overlook?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:11 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:47 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:12 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Fairview Lakes Overlook?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Fairview Lakes Overlook?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fairview Lakes Overlook?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Fairview Lakes Overlook from Fairview?
About 10.2 km (6.3 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.