Beartrap Canyon Wilderness — a wilderness area in Iron County, Utah — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Zion National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Toquerville, about 26 km (16 mi) away (Beartrap Canyon Wilderness lies NE of town).
Beartrap Canyon Wilderness is a 40-acre (0.2 km2) wilderness area in the US state of Utah. It was designated March 30, 2009, as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. Located adjacent to the Kolob Canyons region of Zion National Park, it encompasses and protects part of Beartrap Canyon Creek, a tributary of the Wild & Scenic Virgin River. Beartrap Canyon Wilderness is bordered by the Zion Wilderness to the east. Access to the canyon is from the LaVerkin Creek Trail in Zion National Park.From the Wikipedia article “Beartrap Canyon Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Beartrap Canyon Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (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 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:37 AM | 90° E | 7:45 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 59° ENE | 8:57 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 119° ESE | 5:19 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 35m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:07 PM | 9h 52m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:41 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 36m |
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 Beartrap Canyon 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 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| 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 | 2:40 AM – 5:20 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:39 AM – 4:29 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:49 PM – 4:09 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 2:43 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:03 PM – 12:43 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.76 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 22% average cloud cover) and December 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 | 80 | 86 | 96 | 103 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 87 | 77 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | 5 | 13 | 19 | 26 | 37 | 52 | 48 | 32 | 16 | 10 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
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
- 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.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Beartrap Canyon Wilderness, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Canyon
Natural Arch
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Scenic ViewpointWilderness Area
Wilderness Area
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lava Point Campground6.8 km (4.2 mi) · reservable
- Pyramid Ridge Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Deer Haven23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Cedar Canyon25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- South Campground (Ut)27 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Beartrap Canyon Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Beartrap Canyon Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Beartrap Canyon Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Beartrap Canyon Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Beartrap Canyon Wilderness?
How far is Beartrap Canyon Wilderness from Toquerville?
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.