Twin Peaks Wilderness is a wilderness area in Salt Lake County, Utah. The nearest town is Cottonwood Heights, about 7.9 km (4.9 mi) away (Twin Peaks Wilderness lies ESE of town).
Twin Peaks Wilderness is a 11,396 acres (46.12 km2) wilderness area in the Wasatch Range of Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. The Mount Olympus Wilderness is directly north of the Twin Peaks Wilderness and separated by Utah State Route 190. The Lone Peak Wilderness is directly to the south and separated by Utah State Route 210. Elevations in the wilderness range from under 5,000 feet (1,500 m) to 11,330 feet (3,450 m) on Twin Peaks.From the Wikipedia article “Twin Peaks Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Twin Peaks 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 303° (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 | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 58° ENE | 9:02 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 121° ESE | 5:04 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
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 | 7:19 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:20 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 | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 7:13 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 17m |
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 Twin Peaks 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 ≈ 19.3 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
- 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.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Twin Peaks Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
CanyonWaterfall
Canyon
Waterfall
Lake
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Storm Mountain Day Use Area3.2 km (2.0 mi) · reservable
- Tanners Flat3.6 km (2.3 mi) · reservable
- Birches Picnic Area4.0 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Ledgemere Picnic Area4.3 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Dogwood Day Use4.8 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Twin Peaks Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Twin Peaks Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Twin Peaks Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Twin Peaks Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Twin Peaks Wilderness?
How far is Twin Peaks Wilderness from Cottonwood Heights?
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.