The hardest part of sunrise photography isn't the light. It's the drive, the 4 a.m. alarm, a dark road, a trailhead in the cold, and the nagging worry that you've left too late. Over the years, from the Florida Keys to the canyons of Utah to the high passes of the Dolomites, I've learned that where I sleep can matter as much as where I shoot.
The best stays put you so close to the light that the commute is a short walk, perhaps even with a coffee in hand. A resort, three campgrounds and a mountain pass: these are five of my favorites.
1. Cheeca Lodge, Islamorada, Florida Keys
My basecamp in the Keys, and the place I made Islamorada Dawn. The beach is lined with palms, the eastern horizon is wide open, and sunrise is a few minutes' walk from your room. It sits in the middle of the Keys too, so Miami and Key West are both an easy drive for the rest of the day.
The light: sunrise over the Atlantic, palms in silhouette.
Best time: winter, when the air is crisp and the clouds stack up on the horizon.
2. Devils Garden Campground, Arches National Park, Utah
At the far end of the park road, Devils Garden puts you in the middle of the sandstone, with fins, domes and arches all around the campground. There's no drive to the light here. You wake up inside it. Sunrise sets the rock glowing red and orange while the rest of the park is still waking up, and the Devils Garden trailhead is close by when you want to go deeper.
The light: sunrise and sunset on red sandstone fins, right from camp.
Book ahead: sites can be reserved for March through October and fill up almost every night. From November to February, sites are first-come, first-served. Arches camping info
3. Green River Overlook Campground, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
In the Island in the Sky district, this small campground sits near the edge of one of the great views of the Southwest: the Green River winding through layer after layer of canyons, 1,000 feet and more below. When the sun drops, the canyons fill with shadow and the White Rim catches the last light. It's a sunset you can walk to.
The light: sunset over the Green River canyons from the overlook. Good to know: individual campsites at Island in the Sky are first-come, first-served, so arrive early. Canyonlands camping info
Bonus: Mesa Arch is just a short drive away, so you can trade sunset over the Green River for the ultimate sunrise shot the next morning, with the underside of the arch glowing as the sun comes up over the canyons.
4. The View Campground, Monument Valley, Arizona–Utah
Few campsites anywhere come with a view like this. The campground looks straight out at the Mittens, the buttes that have defined the American West in countless photographs. Before sunrise, the sky brightens behind them and the buttes stand in silhouette. Later, the red rock warms up in the first light. You can watch the whole thing from your tent.
The light: sunrise behind the Mittens, then warm light across the valley.
Good to know: the campground sits within Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, on the Navajo Nation. Check current fees and rules before you go, and treat it as the sacred, lived-in place it is.
5. Giau Pass, the Dolomites, Italy
At 2,236 meters (7,336 feet), Passo Giau sits high above Cortina d'Ampezzo, with the jagged spire of Ra Gusela rising straight above it and a skyline of Dolomite peaks all around. Spend the night up top and you skip the hairpin drive in the dark. You step out into some of the most dramatic alpenglow in the Alps as the first light hits the rock and turns it pink and gold.
The light: alpenglow on the surrounding peaks at sunrise and sunset.
Where to stay: you have two great options, both just steps from the best light you can imagine.
Camp in a camper at the top. Park up on the pass, watch the last light fade from the peaks, and wake up already in position. Step out the door with a coffee and the whole skyline is right there.
Stay at Rifugio Passo Giau. The mountain hut sits right on the pass, so you get a warm bed, a proper dinner and an alpine breakfast. Sunrise is a short walk from the front door.
Good to know: rules for overnight camper parking in the Dolomites change by area and season, especially in the busy summer months, so check the current local regulations before you go. Book the rifugio well ahead in summer and early fall, when the pass is at its busiest.
How to choose your own
When I'm picking a place to stay for a shoot, I look at a map before I look at the amenities:
Which way does it face? East for sunrise, west for sunset. Check where the sun will rise or set on your dates. Use Photopills App for sunrise, sunset times, location, etc.
How far is the walk? Under ten minutes is ideal. You want to be set up and waiting, not rushing.
What's in the foreground? Palms, a dock, a lake, a ridgeline. The best stays come with a composition built in.
Can you come back? Staying a few nights gives you more than one chance at the light. In Islamorada, it took me four mornings.
Wherever you stay, the goal is the same: wake up, step outside, and be exactly where the light is going to be.
Read: Reading the Light Before It Arrives →