Located in Cochise County, Arizona, Jhus Falls is a waterfall. The nearest town is Douglas, about 76 km (47 mi) away (Jhus Falls lies NNE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jhus Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:22 AM | 90° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 62° ENE | 7:27 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:06 AM | 89° E | 6:15 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 118° ESE | 5:17 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 03m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 17m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:29 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:04 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:24 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:21 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:53 PM | 14h 14m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:22 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:52 PM | 14h 03m |
| August | 5:17 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:28 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 5:37 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:34 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:49 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 5:56 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:54 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:10 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 32m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 04m |
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 Jhus Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° 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 | 4:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:57 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:52 AM – 4:22 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 10:51 PM – 3:41 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:05 PM – 3:25 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:02 PM – 2:02 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:31 PM – 12:01 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 7:47 PM – 9:57 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:07 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 22% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (60%). June 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 | 74 | 83 | 86 | 94 | 105 | 108 | 108 | 103 | 99 | 94 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | 19 | 9 | 20 | 28 | 35 | 50 | 60 | 58 | 49 | 26 | 20 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 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 waterfall
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Jhus Falls, closest first.
Ghost Town
Natural Arch
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic ViewpointWaterfallScenic ViewpointWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Portal Ccc House10.7 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Portal Bunkhouse10.8 km (6.7 mi) · reservable
- Bonita Canyon Campground12.0 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
- Camp Rucker Group Site27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jhus Falls?
What time is golden hour at Jhus Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jhus Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Jhus Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jhus Falls?
How far is Jhus Falls from Douglas?
Sources
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors. 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.