Kanab Creek Wilderness — a wilderness area in Coconino County, Arizona — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Kaibab National Forest. It sits roughly 42 km (26 mi) S of Fredonia.
Kanab Creek Wilderness is a 75,300-acre (305 km2) wilderness area located along the Coconino/Mohave County line in the U.S. state of Arizona, approximately 30 miles (48 km) south of Fredonia. 68,600 acres (278 km2) of the Wilderness are located in the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest, the remaining 6,700 acres (27 km2) are administered by the Bureau of Land Management. One of the major tributaries of the Colorado River, Kanab Creek is the largest tributary canyon system on the north side of the Grand Canyon. From its origin approximately 50 miles (80 km) north in southern Utah, Kanab Creek and its feeder streams have cut a network of gorges with vertical walls deep into the Kanab and Kaibab Plateaus. Elevations in the Wilderness range from 2,000 feet (610 m) at the river to about 6,000 feet (1,829 m) on the rim. Evidence in Kanab Creek Wilderness...From the Wikipedia article “Kanab Creek Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kanab Creek Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:35 AM | 90° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 60° ENE | 7:53 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:19 AM | 89° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:39 AM | 119° ESE | 5:19 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 39m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:21 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:07 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:38 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:30 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:31 PM | 8:00 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:22 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:19 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 5:48 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:05 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:21 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Kanab Creek Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:18 AM – 5:48 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:34 AM – 5:14 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:25 AM – 4:15 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:32 PM – 3:32 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:41 PM – 3:11 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:36 PM – 1:56 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:57 PM – 11:47 PM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:06 PM – 9:46 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:21 PM – 7:51 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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 ≈ 21.9 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 December as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 81 | 87 | 97 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 100 | 87 | 75 | 64 |
| Low °F | 4 | -2 | 17 | 20 | 25 | 38 | 50 | 47 | 32 | 17 | 14 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
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
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Kanab Creek Wilderness, closest first.
Rock Formation
Waterfall
Natural Arch
Fire LookoutNatural Arch
Fire LookoutNatural ArchWaterfall
Fire LookoutCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kanab Creek Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Kanab Creek Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kanab Creek Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kanab Creek Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kanab Creek Wilderness?
How far is Kanab Creek Wilderness from Fredonia?
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.