Located in Emery County, Utah, The Wedge Overlook is a scenic viewpoint at about 1,884 m (6,181 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Castle Dale, about 27 km (17 mi) away (The Wedge Overlook lies ESE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At The Wedge Overlook 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 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) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 59° ENE | 8:53 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:39 AM | 120° ESE | 5:04 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 25m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:54 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:28 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 26m |
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 The Wedge Overlook, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:30 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:39 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:35 AM – 5:05 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:37 AM – 4:17 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:50 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 2:33 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:59 PM – 12:29 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 10:24 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:14 PM – 8:24 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: 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 ≈ 21.89 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 December as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 65 | 75 | 82 | 95 | 99 | 103 | 99 | 97 | 85 | 70 | 57 |
| Low °F | -20 | -8 | 3 | 17 | 22 | 30 | 46 | 41 | 26 | 13 | -2 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 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
- 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.
- 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 The Wedge Overlook, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Natural ArchNatural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sids Mountain Wilderness - The Wedge3.0 km (1.9 mi)
- Buckhorn Draw6.0 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- San Rafael Swinging Bridge Campground7.2 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Equestrian Campground7.3 km (4.5 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph The Wedge Overlook?
What time is golden hour at The Wedge Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at The Wedge Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from The Wedge Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at The Wedge Overlook?
How far is The Wedge Overlook from Castle Dale?
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.