Hellsgate Wilderness is a wilderness area in Gila County, Arizona. It sits roughly 13.8 km (8.6 mi) ESE of Star Valley.
The Hellsgate Wilderness is a 37,440-acre (151.5 km2) protected wilderness within the Tonto National Forest in Gila County, Arizona, at the base of the Mogollon Rim. It was created by the U.S. Congress in 1984 and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.From the Wikipedia article “Hellsgate Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hellsgate 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) | 6:29 AM | 90° E | 6:37 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 61° ENE | 7:40 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:13 AM | 89° E | 6:23 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 118° ESE | 5:19 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:28 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:22 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:24 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:08 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 4:56 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:06 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:20 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 5:43 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:17 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 53m |
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 Hellsgate 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 | 5:03 AM – 5:43 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:17 AM – 5:07 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:15 AM – 4:15 AM | 3.0 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:18 PM – 3:38 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:24 PM – 3:24 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:20 PM – 2:00 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:45 PM – 11:55 PM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 7:58 PM – 9:58 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:15 PM – 7:55 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 ≈ 21.51 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
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Hellsgate Wilderness, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
LakeScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ponderosa (Az)12.0 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
- Christopher Creek15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Lower Tonto Creek16.0 km (9.9 mi) · reservable
- Upper Tonto Creek16.8 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Sharp Creek17.0 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hellsgate Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Hellsgate Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hellsgate Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hellsgate Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hellsgate Wilderness?
How far is Hellsgate Wilderness from Star Valley?
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.