Western Skies

Dawn, day, dusk and night, Cave Creek skies are quintessential western. You can literally see for miles because your view is uninterrupted by tall buildings or dense trees. The light here is so special that it has attracted many artists to settle in the area over the years. The day sky is a brilliant clear turquoise. The occasional clouds are bright white, except when they're transformed into deep golds, oranges, magentas and reds by the rising or setting sun.

Clouds actually enhance the sunrise and sunset because they capture the rays that produce oranges and reds. The higher cirrus and altocumulus clouds take on scarlet, orange and red hues, but the lower stratus and stratocumulus clouds only do so when the atmosphere is very clean.

Cave Creek owes its gorgeous skies to its clear air. Contrary to common belief, clean air, not pollution, is responsible for brilliantly-colored sunrises and sunsets. Pollutants actually subdue the sky's colors. By adopting measures that keep down dust and pollutants, Cave Creek and Maricopa County are ensuring we preserve the area's clean air and brilliant skies.