Pajarita Wilderness is a wilderness area in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. It is part of Coronado National Forest. It sits roughly 24 km (15 mi) WSW of Rio Rico.
Pajarita Wilderness is a protected wilderness area managed by the Coronado National Forest in the U.S. state of Arizona. Established in 1984 under the Arizona Wilderness Act, the array of canyons that make up the area sit at the western end of the Pajarito Mountains, and form a well-known migration route for birds. Sycamore Canyon is the centerpiece of the wilderness, a riparian forest that supports more than 160 bird species. Elevation ranges from 3,800 to 4,800 feet (1,200 to 1,500 m), and the area provides excellent habitat for more than 660 species of plants. The Sycamore Canyon trail is a popular hiking destination very close to the international border between Mexico and the United States.From the Wikipedia article “Pajarita Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pajarita Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:29 AM | 90° E | 6:37 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:22 AM | 62° ENE | 7:33 PM | 298° WNW | 82° | 14h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:14 AM | 89° E | 6:23 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 117° ESE | 5:27 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 06m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 20m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 05m |
| March | 6:12 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:32 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:19 PM | 12h 56m |
| May | 5:03 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 45m |
| June | 4:53 AM | 5:21 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:00 PM | 14h 11m |
| July | 5:04 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:59 PM | 14h 00m |
| August | 5:26 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 13h 18m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:56 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:04 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 26m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 34m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 07m |
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 Pajarita Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° 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 | 4:54 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:04 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:59 AM – 4:29 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 10:58 PM – 3:48 AM | 4.8 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:11 PM – 3:41 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:08 PM – 2:08 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:37 PM – 12:07 AM | 3.5 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 7:54 PM – 10:04 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:15 PM – 8:05 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.67 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). June 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 | 80 | 85 | 91 | 98 | 106 | 111 | 108 | 105 | 104 | 100 | 90 | 82 |
| Low °F | 19 | 15 | 27 | 32 | 39 | 53 | 59 | 61 | 51 | 33 | 23 | 22 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 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
- 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.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Pajarita Wilderness, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Ghost Town
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Dark Sky Place
State Park
LakeState Park
National Wildlife RefugeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pajarita Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Pajarita Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pajarita Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pajarita Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pajarita Wilderness?
How far is Pajarita Wilderness from Rio Rico?
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.