Canaan Mountain Wilderness is a wilderness area in Washington County, Utah. It lies in or next to Zion National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 8.9 km (5.5 mi) N of Hildale.
Canaan Mountain Wilderness is a 44,531-acre (180.2 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 near the town of Hildale in southeastern Washington County, it borders Zion National Park to the north, Kane County to the east, and the state of Arizona to the south.From the Wikipedia article “Canaan Mountain Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Canaan 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 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 | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 60° ENE | 8:56 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 119° ESE | 5:19 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 37m |
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 | 7:45 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:18 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:56 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:42 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:25 PM | 14h 42m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:14 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 38m |
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 Canaan Mountain 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 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 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:36 AM – 6:06 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 5:19 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:37 AM – 4:37 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:46 PM – 4:16 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:40 PM – 2:50 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 12:51 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:49 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:23 PM – 8:53 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.58 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
- 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.
- 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
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 Canaan Mountain Wilderness, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Wilderness Area
Ghost Town
Dark Sky Place
CanyonScenic Viewpoint
Rock Formation
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Watchman Campground12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- South Campground (Ut)13.3 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
- Ponderosa Grove Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Canaan Mountain Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Canaan Mountain Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Canaan Mountain Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Canaan Mountain Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Canaan Mountain Wilderness?
How far is Canaan Mountain Wilderness from Hildale?
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.