Sugarloaf is a volcano in Coconino County, Arizona. The nearest town is Flagstaff, about 18.7 km (11.6 mi) away (Sugarloaf lies N of town).
Sugarloaf is a rhyolite dome located just below the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, Arizona. It formed after a lateral eruption of the mountain, which occurred in a similar fashion to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.From the Wikipedia article “Sugarloaf Peak”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sugarloaf 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:31 AM | 90° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 60° ENE | 7:45 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:15 AM | 89° E | 6:25 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 119° ESE | 5:18 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 46m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:08 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 02m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:23 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 14h 01m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:14 PM | 14h 32m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 14h 19m |
| August | 5:20 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:01 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:08 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 47m |
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 Sugarloaf, 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:18 AM – 5:08 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:23 PM – 3:33 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:30 PM – 3:20 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:26 PM – 1:56 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:49 PM – 11:49 PM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:00 PM – 9:50 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:17 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.7 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.46 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 69 | 73 | 84 | 90 | 101 | 106 | 106 | 104 | 102 | 91 | 80 | 71 |
| Low °F | 4 | 3 | 14 | 22 | 28 | 39 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 18 | 12 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
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
- 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.
- Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Sugarloaf, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Mountain PeakMountain Peak
Volcano
Mountain Peak
Volcano
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lockett Meadow Campground752 m
- Bonito Campground (Az)6.5 km (4.0 mi) · reservable
- Oleary Group Site7.4 km (4.6 mi) · reservable
- Little Elden Springs Horsecamp9.8 km (6.1 mi) · reservable
- Kendrick Cabin12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sugarloaf?
What time is golden hour at Sugarloaf?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sugarloaf?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sugarloaf?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sugarloaf?
How far is Sugarloaf from Flagstaff?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.