Mazatzal Wilderness — a wilderness area in Gila County, Arizona — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Coconino National Forest. The nearest town is Payson, about 24 km (15 mi) away (Mazatzal Wilderness lies WSW of town).
Mazatzal Wilderness is a wilderness area of about 390 square miles (1,000 km2) in Yavapai and Gila counties in the U.S. state of Arizona. The wilderness is within the Tonto and Coconino national forests. The town of Payson is to the east, and the Verde River is to the west. During summer, temperatures in the wilderness often exceed 110 °F (43 °C). The wilderness lies within the following quadrangles of the national topographic map of the United States Geological Survey: Cypress Butte, Table Mountain, Hackberry Mountain, Lion Mountain, Strawberry, Verde Hot Springs, Cane Springs Mountain, Horseshoe Dam, Wet Bottom Mesa, North Peak, and Chalk Mountain. Elevations range from 2,100 feet (640 m) feet at Sheep Bridge along the river to 7,903 feet (2,409 m) on Mazatzal Peak. The flora varies from desert shrubs at the lower elevations to grassland plants to manzanita, shrub live oak, and...From the Wikipedia article “Mazatzal Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mazatzal 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 | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 61° ENE | 7:42 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:15 AM | 89° E | 6:25 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 118° ESE | 5:21 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 | 7:05 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:11 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 | 5:30 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:24 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:09 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 4:58 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:08 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:22 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 26m |
| 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 | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:47 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 Mazatzal 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 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:19 PM – 3:39 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:25 PM – 3:25 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:21 PM – 2:01 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:46 PM – 11:56 PM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 7:59 PM – 9:59 PM | 2.0 | 24° | 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 ≈ 21.31 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Mazatzal Wilderness, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Natural Arch
State Park
Hot Spring
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Wilderness AreaScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Horseshoe (Az)23 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Mesquite (Az)24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Houston Mesa27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mazatzal Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Mazatzal Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mazatzal Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mazatzal Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mazatzal Wilderness?
How far is Mazatzal Wilderness from Payson?
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.