Sardine Falls — a waterfall in Greenlee County, Arizona at about 1,325 m (4,347 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 15.8 km (9.8 mi) N of Clifton.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sardine Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:22 AM | 90° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:09 AM | 61° ENE | 7:30 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:06 AM | 89° E | 6:15 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 118° ESE | 5:15 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 57m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:04 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:22 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:13 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:18 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:38 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 14h 20m |
| July | 4:51 AM | 5:20 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:56 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 5:15 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 5:37 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:34 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:50 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 5:57 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:56 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:10 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 58m |
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 Sardine Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:56 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:58 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:55 AM – 4:15 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 10:56 PM – 3:36 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:11 PM – 3:21 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:07 PM – 1:57 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:34 PM – 11:54 PM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 7:48 PM – 9:48 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:07 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.8 | 17° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 68 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 97 | 101 | 103 | 98 | 96 | 86 | 76 | 69 |
| Low °F | -13 | 1 | 12 | 20 | 26 | 40 | 52 | 51 | 35 | 21 | 14 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.3 |
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
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- 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 Sardine Falls, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sardine Falls?
What time is golden hour at Sardine Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sardine Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sardine Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sardine Falls?
How far is Sardine Falls from Clifton?
Sources
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors, 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.