Located in Coconino County, Arizona, Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness is a wilderness area. The nearest town is Page, about 33 km (21 mi) away (Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness lies W of town).
The Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness is a 112,500 acres (455 km2) wilderness area located in northern Arizona and southern Utah, United States, within the arid Colorado Plateau region. The wilderness is composed of broad plateaus, tall escarpments, and deep canyons. The Paria River flows through the wilderness before joining the Colorado River at Lee's Ferry, Arizona. The U.S. Congress designated the wilderness area in 1984 and it was largely incorporated into the new Vermilion Cliffs National Monument proclaimed in 2000 by executive order of President Bill Clinton. Both the wilderness area and the National Monument are administered by the federal Bureau of Land Management. The Colorado Plateau and its river basins are of immense value in the Earth sciences, specifically chronostratigraphy, as the region contains multiple terrain features exposing miles-thick contiguous rock...From the Wikipedia article “Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs 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) | 6:32 AM | 90° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:09 AM | 60° ENE | 7:51 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:16 AM | 89° E | 6:26 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 119° ESE | 5:15 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:27 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:29 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:20 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 4:38 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:20 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 4:50 AM | 5:20 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:17 PM | 14h 27m |
| August | 5:18 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:03 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 39m |
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 Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:25 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:31 AM – 5:01 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:24 AM – 4:14 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:32 PM – 3:32 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:41 PM – 3:11 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:35 PM – 1:45 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:56 PM – 11:46 PM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:04 PM – 9:44 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:18 PM – 7:48 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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (50%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 62 | 67 | 79 | 86 | 96 | 102 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 87 | 77 | 63 |
| Low °F | 2 | 0 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 50 | 49 | 32 | 16 | 15 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
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 Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, closest first.
Natural Arch
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural Arch
Mountain Peak
Rock FormationNatural ArchNatural Arch
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lees Ferry Campground20 km (12 mi)
- White House Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Colorado River Primitive Camping Between Glen Canyon Dam And Lees Ferry22 km (13 mi)
- Stateline Campground22 km (14 mi)
- Beehives Primitive Campground30 km (18 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness?
How far is Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness from Page?
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.