Overlook Ridge — a scenic viewpoint in Grand County, Utah at about 2,529 m (8,297 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 40 km (25 mi) NW of Loma.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Overlook Ridge 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 58° ENE | 8:48 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 57m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 120° ESE | 4:57 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 23m |
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 | 7:36 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 56m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 41m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:06 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 24m |
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 Overlook Ridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | 5:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:31 AM – 5:01 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 4:04 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:48 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:40 PM – 2:20 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:55 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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 ≈ 21.9 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 33% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 56 | 60 | 74 | 83 | 96 | 99 | 101 | 98 | 96 | 84 | 68 | 54 |
| Low °F | -10 | -13 | 2 | 16 | 21 | 32 | 45 | 43 | 28 | 6 | 2 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Overlook Ridge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Overlook Ridge?
What time is golden hour at Overlook Ridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Overlook Ridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Overlook Ridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Overlook Ridge?
How far is Overlook Ridge from Loma?
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.