Winn Falls (AZ): Photography Guide, Best Time & Golden Hour

Winn Falls is a waterfall in Cochise County, Arizona at about 2,255 m (7,398 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 64 km (40 mi) NNE of Douglas.

Elevation

2,255 m

7,398 ft

Nearest town

Douglas

64 km (40 mi)

Sky darkness

Bortle 1

Excellent dark-sky site

Clearest month

May

22% cloud

Milky Way peak

June

6.3 h window

Golden hour (Oct)

5:13 PM

sunset 5:46 PM

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Winn Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.

June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

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)	5:13 AM	62° ENE	7:27 PM	299° WNW	82°	14h 14m
September equinox (Sep 22)	6:06 AM	89° E	6:15 PM	271° W	58°	12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)	7:14 AM	117° ESE	5:18 PM	243° WSW	35°	10h 04m

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	7:54 AM	5:00 PM	5:36 PM	6:02 PM	10h 18m
February	6:35 AM	7:00 AM	7:34 AM	5:31 PM	6:04 PM	6:29 PM	11h 04m
March	6:04 AM	6:28 AM	7:00 AM	5:53 PM	6:26 PM	6:50 PM	11h 58m
April	5:24 AM	5:49 AM	6:22 AM	6:14 PM	6:46 PM	7:11 PM	12h 57m
May	4:54 AM	5:21 AM	5:55 AM	6:33 PM	7:08 PM	7:35 PM	13h 47m
June	4:44 AM	5:12 AM	5:48 AM	6:49 PM	7:25 PM	7:53 PM	14h 13m
July	4:55 AM	5:23 AM	5:58 AM	6:49 PM	7:25 PM	7:52 PM	14h 02m
August	5:17 AM	5:43 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	6:25 PM	6:49 PM	12h 23m
October	5:56 AM	6:21 AM	6:54 AM	5:13 PM	5:46 PM	6:11 PM	11h 25m
November	6:21 AM	6:46 AM	7:22 AM	4:44 PM	5:19 PM	5:45 PM	10h 32m
December	6:44 AM	7:11 AM	7:48 AM	4:38 PM	5:15 PM	5:42 PM	10h 05m

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 Winn 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	26°	SE → SSE
April	12:51 AM – 4:21 AM	3.5	29°	SE → S
May	10:51 PM – 3:41 AM	4.8	29°	SE → SSW
June	9:04 PM – 3:24 AM	6.3	29°	SE → SW
July	9:01 PM – 2:01 AM	5.0	29°	SSE → SW
August	8:30 PM – 12:00 AM	3.5	29°	S → SW
September	7:46 PM – 9:56 PM	2.2	26°	SSW → SW
October	7:07 PM – 7:57 PM	0.8	18°	SW → SW
November	Below 10° in darkness	—	4°	—
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 (%)

35%

37%

32%

26%

22%

28%

60%

53%

34%

24%

29%

35%

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

	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

Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
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.
Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

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 Winn Falls, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint

Winn Falls Viewpoint0.2 km away · Cochise County

Waterfall

Lower Cave Creek Falls1.0 km away · Cochise County

Waterfall

Upper Cave Creek Falls1.0 km away · Cochise County

Scenic Viewpoint

Centella Point2.0 km away · Cochise County · 2,809 m

Waterfall

North Fork Falls2.8 km away · Cochise County

Scenic Viewpoint

Chiricahua Vista Helispot3.2 km away · Cochise County

Scenic Viewpoint

Rustler Park Fire Guard Station3.3 km away · Cochise County · 2,821 m

Scenic Viewpoint

Ward Canyon Overlook3.4 km away · Cochise County

Mountain Peak

Chiricahua Peak3.8 km away · Cochise County · 2,972 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Winn Falls?

May 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. Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.

What time is golden hour at Winn Falls?

In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:13 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:46 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 6:54 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.

Where does the sun rise and set at Winn Falls?

Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 62° in June to 117° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 243°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.

Can you see the Milky Way from Winn Falls?

Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).

Do you need a permit to photograph at Winn Falls?

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 Winn Falls from Douglas?

About 64 km (40 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.

Winn Falls Photography Guide

Light at Winn Falls

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

Sunrise & sunset directions

Golden hour & blue hour by month

Milky Way & night sky

Weather & best season

Average cloud cover (%)

Photography tips for this waterfall

Nearby photo spots

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

Sources