Boynton Canyon Trail, near Sedona Arizona
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34.9656° N111.8570° WBortle 3Phoenix

Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness Photography Guide

Wilderness Area in Yavapai County, Arizona

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: John Menard from Phoenix, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness is a wilderness area in Yavapai County, Arizona. It is part of Coconino National Forest. The nearest town is West Sedona, about 11.9 km (7.4 mi) away (Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness lies NNW of town).

The Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness is a 47,195-acre (19,099 ha) wilderness area located within the Coconino National Forest in the U.S. state of Arizona. The wilderness is predominantly wind and water sculpted pinnacles, windows, arches, and slot canyons, and the red-rock cliffs of the Mogollon Rim that mark the edge of the Colorado Plateau. Bordered on the east by Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, the high mesas of Secret Mountain and Wilson Mountain jut out into the lower country and canyons as deep as 1,500 feet (457 m) drain into Oak Creek and the Verde River. Petroglyphs and abandoned cliff dwellings can be found in the wilderness.From the Wikipedia article “Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
West Sedona
11.9 km (7.4 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
June
18% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:20 PM
sunset 5:54 PM

Light at Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness

Live
Sunrise
6:38 AM
Sunset
5:48 PM
Golden hour AM
6:22 AM – 7:13 AM
Golden hour PM
5:13 PM – 6:03 PM
Blue hour AM
6:13 AM – 6:22 AM
Blue hour PM
6:03 PM – 6:13 PM
Full darkness
7:12 PM – 5:15 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
2:50 PM / 12:59 AM
Day length
11h 09m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Phoenix. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Red Rock-Secret Mountain 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 32° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:32 AM90° E6:39 PM271° W55°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:15 AM60° ENE7:45 PM300° WNW78°14h 31m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:16 AM89° E6:26 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:32 AM119° ESE5:20 PM242° WSW32°9h 48m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:08 AM7:36 AM8:13 AM5:02 PM5:39 PM6:07 PM10h 04m
February6:48 AM7:14 AM7:49 AM5:36 PM6:11 PM6:37 PM10h 56m
March6:14 AM6:39 AM7:12 AM6:02 PM6:35 PM7:01 PM11h 57m
April5:30 AM5:56 AM6:30 AM6:26 PM7:00 PM7:26 PM13h 04m
May4:57 AM5:25 AM6:01 AM6:49 PM7:25 PM7:53 PM14h 00m
June4:44 AM5:14 AM5:51 AM7:06 PM7:44 PM8:13 PM14h 30m
July4:57 AM5:25 AM6:02 AM7:06 PM7:43 PM8:11 PM14h 17m
August5:22 AM5:48 AM6:23 AM6:43 PM7:17 PM7:44 PM13h 29m
September5:46 AM6:11 AM6:45 AM6:03 PM6:36 PM7:01 PM12h 25m
October6:08 AM6:34 AM7:08 AM5:20 PM5:54 PM6:19 PM11h 20m
November6:36 AM7:03 AM7:40 AM4:46 PM5:23 PM5:50 PM10h 20m
December7:01 AM7:29 AM8:08 AM4:39 PM5:18 PM5:46 PM9h 49m

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 Red Rock-Secret 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:05 AM – 5:45 AM0.715°SE → SE
March3:19 AM – 5:09 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April1:19 AM – 4:19 AM3.026°SE → S
May11:23 PM – 3:43 AM4.326°SE → SSW
June9:30 PM – 3:20 AM5.826°SE → SW
July9:25 PM – 1:55 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August8:50 PM – 11:50 PM3.026°S → SW
September8:01 PM – 9:51 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October7:17 PM – 7:57 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.3 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F687079859410210210096877870
Low °F-140111526364848331913-8
Precip. (in)1.92.01.20.60.50.22.52.41.41.01.32.0

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.
  • 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 Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness, closest first.

Natural Arch
Fay Canyon Arch6.3 km away · Yavapai County
Natural Arch
Vultee Arch8.5 km away · Coconino County
Devil's Bridge, SedonaNatural Arch
Devil's Bridge, Sedona8.7 km away · Yavapai County
Natural Arch
Devils Bridge8.8 km away · Yavapai County
Natural Arch
Indian Head Arch10.0 km away · Coconino County
Sycamore Canyon WildernessWilderness Area
Sycamore Canyon Wilderness12 km away · Yavapai County
Slide Rock State ParkState Park
Slide Rock State Park13 km away · Coconino County
Oak Creek CanyonCanyon
Oak Creek Canyon13 km away · Coconino County
SedonaDark Sky Place
Sedona13 km away · Yavapai County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness?
June has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:20 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:54 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:08 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness from West Sedona?
About 11.9 km (7.4 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.