Located in Utah County, Utah, Mount Timpanogos Wilderness is a wilderness area. It is part of Uinta National Forest. The nearest town is Lindon, about 7.5 km (4.7 mi) away (Mount Timpanogos Wilderness lies NE of town).
Mount Timpanogos Wilderness is a 10,518-acre (42.56 km2) wilderness area protecting Mount Timpanogos and the surrounding area in Utah, United States. It is located in the front range of the Wasatch Mountain Range, between American Fork Canyon on the north and Provo Canyon on the south, within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest on the north eastern edge of Utah County, Utah. The wilderness area receives fairly heavy use due to its proximity to the heavily populated cities of Provo and Salt Lake City. It is bordered on the north by the Lone Peak Wilderness.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Timpanogos Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Timpanogos Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 58° ENE | 9:01 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 121° ESE | 5:04 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 17m |
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 | 7:48 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 37m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 25m |
| June | 5:24 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:18 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 02m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 47m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 19m |
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 Mount Timpanogos Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:44 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:55 AM – 6:05 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:54 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:49 AM – 4:09 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 3:45 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:56 PM – 2:26 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:09 PM – 12:19 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 9:10 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.49 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 50 | 56 | 67 | 74 | 84 | 90 | 96 | 92 | 88 | 79 | 65 | 49 |
| Low °F | -23 | -28 | -14 | -6 | 8 | 22 | 36 | 31 | 19 | 1 | -17 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.3 |
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
- 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
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 Mount Timpanogos Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Lake
Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
Canyon
Waterfall
Waterfall
CaveCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Theater In The Pines4.6 km (2.9 mi) · reservable
- Mt. Timpanogos4.7 km (2.9 mi) · reservable
- Timpooneke5.9 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Altamont5.9 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Little Mill7.6 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Timpanogos Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Mount Timpanogos Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Timpanogos Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Timpanogos Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Timpanogos Wilderness?
How far is Mount Timpanogos Wilderness from Lindon?
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.