Fossil Springs Wilderness is a wilderness area in Gila County, Arizona. It is part of Coconino National Forest. The nearest town is Pine, about 10.8 km (6.7 mi) away (Fossil Springs Wilderness lies NW of town).
Fossil Springs Wilderness is an 11,550-acre (4,674 ha) wilderness area within the Coconino National Forest in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is at the bottom of a steep canyon at the edge of the Colorado Plateau, just south of the Mogollon Rim. Here, water emerges at the surface at the rate of about 2,700 cubic feet (76 m3) per minute. The perennial water supply supports one of the most diverse riparian ecosystems in the state, with more than 30 species of trees set among native desert shrub. It also creates a haven for abundant wildlife, including elk, deer, javelina, coyote, skunk, racoon, ring-tailed cat, fox, mountain lion, black bear and more than 100 species of birds.From the Wikipedia article “Fossil Springs Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fossil Springs Wilderness 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:31 AM | 90° E | 6:38 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 61° ENE | 7:43 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:15 AM | 89° E | 6:24 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 118° ESE | 5:20 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 51m |
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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:06 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:24 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 4:45 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:10 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:09 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:07 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 52m |
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 Fossil Springs Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:18 AM – 5:08 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:16 AM – 4:16 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:20 PM – 3:40 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:27 PM – 3:27 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:22 PM – 2:02 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:47 PM – 11:57 PM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 7:59 PM – 9:49 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:16 PM – 7:56 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.54 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (51%). 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 | 70 | 79 | 85 | 94 | 102 | 102 | 100 | 96 | 87 | 78 | 70 |
| Low °F | -14 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 36 | 48 | 48 | 33 | 19 | 13 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.0 |
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 wilderness area
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Fossil Springs Wilderness, closest first.
State Park
Natural Arch
Wilderness Area
Hot Spring
Wilderness Area
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Long Valley Group Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Clear Creek Campground (Az)22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Houston Mesa29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Apache Maid Cabin29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fossil Springs Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Fossil Springs Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fossil Springs Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fossil Springs Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fossil Springs Wilderness?
How far is Fossil Springs Wilderness from Pine?
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.