Located in Iron County, Utah, Ashdown Gorge Wilderness is a wilderness area. It lies in or next to Cedar Breaks National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Cedar City, about 15.7 km (9.8 mi) away (Ashdown Gorge Wilderness lies ESE of town).
The Ashdown Gorge Wilderness is located in eastern Iron County, Utah, United States, within the arid Colorado Plateau region.From the Wikipedia article “Ashdown Gorge Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ashdown Gorge Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:11 AM | 59° ENE | 8:57 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 120° ESE | 5:17 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:06 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:38 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:18 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:52 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:14 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 35m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Ashdown Gorge Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:37 AM – 6:07 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:41 AM – 5:21 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:40 AM – 4:30 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:51 PM – 4:11 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 2:44 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 12:44 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:10 PM – 10:40 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:23 PM – 8:43 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.59 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 60 | 64 | 72 | 80 | 90 | 97 | 98 | 96 | 94 | 81 | 70 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | -7 | 0 | 16 | 21 | 29 | 44 | 41 | 25 | 10 | 0 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Ashdown Gorge Wilderness, closest first.
Dark Sky Place
Natural Arch
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Natural Arch
Mountain PeakScenic Viewpoint
Volcano
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cedar Canyon5.9 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Point Supreme Campground6.2 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Deer Haven8.0 km (5.0 mi) · reservable
- Te-Ah14.1 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Navajo Lake Campground16.2 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ashdown Gorge Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Ashdown Gorge Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ashdown Gorge Wilderness?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Ashdown Gorge Wilderness?
How far is Ashdown Gorge Wilderness from Cedar City?
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.