Munds Mountain Wilderness is a wilderness area in Yavapai County, Arizona. It is part of Coconino National Forest. It sits roughly 5.7 km (3.5 mi) NE of Village of Oak Creek (Big Park).
Munds Mountain Wilderness is an 18,150-acre (7,345 ha) wilderness area in the Coconino National Forest in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is immediately southeast of Sedona between Arizona State Route 179 and Interstate 17. The wilderness lies within the Munds Mountain and Sedona quadrangles of the national topographic map of the United States Geological Survey. Several trails meander through the wilderness, including the Jacks Canyon and Hot Loop trails leading from Oak Creek Canyon to high overlooks. The 10.4-mile (16.7 km) Hot Loop Trail runs generally north–south over Horse Mesa. Landmarks visible from vantage points along this trail include Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, Sycamore Pass, and Woods Canyon. Jacks Canyon Trail also meanders generally north–south, with significant east–west segments, for 6.5 miles (10.5 km) through the wilderness near Sedona and Oak Creek. It connects...From the Wikipedia article “Munds Mountain Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Munds Mountain 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 | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 61° ENE | 7:44 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:16 AM | 89° E | 6:25 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 118° ESE | 5:20 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:30 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 4:56 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:10 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:01 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:08 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 50m |
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 Munds Mountain Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:19 AM – 5:09 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:22 PM – 3:42 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:29 PM – 3:19 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:24 PM – 1:54 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:49 PM – 11:59 PM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:01 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:17 PM – 7:57 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.47 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 Munds Mountain Wilderness, closest first.
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Dark Sky Place
Mountain Peak
National ForestDark Sky Place
State Park
Canyon
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Chavez Crossing6.2 km (3.8 mi) · reservable
- Crescent Moon Ranch Cabin7.8 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Crescent Moon Ramada8.2 km (5.1 mi) · reservable
- Manzanita.14.1 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Cave Spring20 km (12 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Munds Mountain Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Munds Mountain Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Munds Mountain Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Munds Mountain Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Munds Mountain Wilderness?
How far is Munds Mountain Wilderness from Village of Oak Creek (Big Park)?
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.