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35.2550° N111.4624° W2,034 mBortle 3Phoenix

O'Neill Crater Photography Guide

Volcano in Coconino County, Arizona · 2,034 m (6,673 ft)

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

O'Neill Crater — a volcano in Coconino County, Arizona at about 2,034 m (6,673 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 18.3 km (11.4 mi) ENE of Flagstaff.

Elevation
2,034 m
6,673 ft
Nearest town
Flagstaff
18.3 km (11.4 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
June
24% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:18 PM
sunset 5:52 PM

Light at O'Neill Crater

Live
Sunrise
6:37 AM
Sunset
5:46 PM
Golden hour AM
6:21 AM – 7:12 AM
Golden hour PM
5:11 PM – 6:02 PM
Blue hour AM
6:11 AM – 6:21 AM
Blue hour PM
6:02 PM – 6:12 PM
Full darkness
7:11 PM – 5:13 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
2:49 PM / 12:57 AM
Day length
11h 09m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Phoenix. 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 O'Neill Crater the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:30 AM90° E6:38 PM271° W55°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:12 AM60° ENE7:44 PM300° WNW78°14h 32m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:15 AM89° E6:24 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:31 AM119° ESE5:18 PM242° WSW31°9h 47m

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

Volcanic cones and lava fields have strong shapes that read well in side-light; dark basalt needs careful exposure.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:07 AM7:35 AM8:13 AM4:59 PM5:37 PM6:05 PM10h 02m
February6:47 AM7:13 AM7:48 AM5:34 PM6:09 PM6:35 PM10h 56m
March6:12 AM6:37 AM7:11 AM6:00 PM6:34 PM6:59 PM11h 56m
April5:28 AM5:54 AM6:28 AM6:25 PM6:59 PM7:25 PM13h 05m
May4:54 AM5:23 AM5:59 AM6:48 PM7:24 PM7:52 PM14h 01m
June4:42 AM5:12 AM5:49 AM7:05 PM7:43 PM8:13 PM14h 31m
July4:54 AM5:23 AM6:00 AM7:05 PM7:42 PM8:11 PM14h 19m
August5:19 AM5:46 AM6:21 AM6:41 PM7:16 PM7:43 PM13h 30m
September5:44 AM6:09 AM6:43 AM6:01 PM6:34 PM7:00 PM12h 25m
October6:07 AM6:33 AM7:07 AM5:18 PM5:52 PM6:17 PM11h 19m
November6:35 AM7:02 AM7:39 AM4:44 PM5:21 PM5:48 PM10h 19m
December7:00 AM7:28 AM8:07 AM4:37 PM5:16 PM5:44 PM9h 48m

Local time (America/Phoenix), 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 O'Neill Crater, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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—-1°—
February5:14 AM – 5:44 AM0.515°SE → SE
March3:18 AM – 5:08 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April1:18 AM – 4:18 AM3.026°SE → S
May11:23 PM – 3:33 AM4.226°SE → SSW
June9:30 PM – 3:20 AM5.826°SE → SW
July9:26 PM – 1:56 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August8:49 PM – 11:49 PM3.026°S → SW
September8:00 PM – 9:50 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October7:17 PM – 7:57 PM0.715°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
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 ≈ 21.43 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F69738490101106106104102918071
Low °F431422283953503718127
Precip. (in)1.21.20.80.60.50.22.02.31.21.01.01.4

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 volcano

  • Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
  • Long lenses from 20–60 miles away make large stratovolcanoes dominate the horizon.
  • Check local volcanic activity notices and area closures before visiting.
  • Snow-capped volcanoes reflect alpenglow at sunrise — shoot from a lake or meadow for a reflection.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

Season: Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.

Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of O'Neill Crater, closest first.

Canyon
Arizona: Walnut Canyon Bridge6.1 km away · Coconino County
Volcano
Old Caves Crater6.5 km away · Coconino County
Volcano
Pinnacle Crater8.5 km away · Coconino County
Volcano
Double Crater9.9 km away · Coconino County
Scenic Viewpoint
Accessible Scenic Overlook10 km away · Coconino County
Volcano
Maroon Crater11 km away · Coconino County
Volcano
Moon Crater12 km away · Coconino County
Volcano
Rattlesnake Crater12 km away · Coconino County
Mount EldenMountain Peak
Mount Elden12 km away · Coconino County · 2,612 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph O'Neill Crater?
June 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. Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.
What time is golden hour at O'Neill Crater?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:18 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:52 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:07 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at O'Neill Crater?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from O'Neill Crater?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at O'Neill Crater?
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 O'Neill Crater from Flagstaff?
About 18.3 km (11.4 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.