Located in Garfield County, Utah, Calf Creek Falls is a waterfall at about 1,690 m (5,545 ft) above sea level. It is part of Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. The nearest town is Page, about 102 km (63 mi) away (Calf Creek Falls lies N of town).
Calf Creek Falls refers to a pair of perennial waterfalls on the Calf Creek in the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in central Garfield County, Utah, United States, that total 214 feet (65 m).From the Wikipedia article “Calf Creek Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Calf Creek Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:05 AM | 59° ENE | 8:52 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 120° ESE | 5:11 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:59 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:33 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:46 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:14 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:02 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 34m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Calf Creek Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:24 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:31 AM – 6:01 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:35 AM – 5:15 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:34 AM – 4:24 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:45 PM – 4:05 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:38 PM – 2:38 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:58 PM – 12:38 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 10:34 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:17 PM – 8:37 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and February 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 | 65 | 69 | 80 | 87 | 98 | 103 | 107 | 103 | 100 | 90 | 74 | 63 |
| Low °F | 2 | 1 | 15 | 21 | 26 | 37 | 54 | 50 | 32 | 16 | 13 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
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
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- 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 Calf Creek Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Natural Arch
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural Arch
State Park
Canyon
Canyon
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Deer Creek Campground6.4 km (4.0 mi)
- Posey Lake Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Cowpuncher Guard Station28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Oak Creek Rec Site (Boulder, Ut)30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Calf Creek Falls?
What time is golden hour at Calf Creek Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Calf Creek Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Calf Creek Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Calf Creek Falls?
How far is Calf Creek Falls from Page?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.