Zion Wilderness — a wilderness area in Washington County, Utah — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Zion National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 23 km (14 mi) ENE of Toquerville.
Zion National Park is a national park of the United States located in southwestern Utah near the town of Springdale. Located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert regions, the park has a unique geography and a variety of life zones that allow for unusual plant and animal diversity. Numerous plant species as well as 289 species of birds, 75 mammals (including 19 species of bat), and 32 reptiles inhabit the park's four life zones: desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest. Zion National Park includes mountains, canyons, buttes, mesas, monoliths, rivers, slot canyons, and natural arches. The lowest point in the park is 3,666 ft (1,117 m) at Coalpits Wash and the highest peak is 8,726 ft (2,660 m) at Horse Ranch Mountain. A prominent feature of the 229-square-mile (590 km2) park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles (24 km) long and up to 2,640 ft...From the Wikipedia article “Zion National Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Zion 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 | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 59° ENE | 8:57 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 44m |
| 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 | 7:17 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:07 PM | 9h 53m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 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 | 7:32 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 10m |
| June | 5:41 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 43m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 29m |
| 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 | 7:49 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:14 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 11m |
| 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 Zion Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. 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 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 | 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 | 12:38 AM – 4:38 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:48 PM – 4:18 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:42 PM – 2:52 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:02 PM – 12:52 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 9:10 PM – 10:50 PM | 1.7 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:23 PM – 8:43 PM | 0.3 | 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: 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 ≈ 21.77 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
- 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.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- 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 Zion Wilderness, closest first.
Canyon
Waterfall
Wilderness Area
Wilderness Area
Canyon
Rock FormationWilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lava Point Campground5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- South Campground (Ut)15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Watchman Campground16.0 km (9.9 mi) · reservable
- Deer Haven29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Zion Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Zion Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Zion Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Zion Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Zion Wilderness?
How far is Zion 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.