“What time is it in Arizona?” It’s a simple question with a not-so-simple answer, depending on what time of year and what part of Arizona you’re visiting. The Arizona time zone confuses some because the state doesn’t adhere to Daylight Saving Time.
If you’re trying to schedule travel plans or an itinerary for a Grand Canyon wedding, we’re here to make “Arizona Time” easier to understand.
We found this topic especially important since many online articles about Arizona’s time zone were more confusing than helpful. Read on to find out everything you need to know about Arizona’s unique time zone.
NOTE: For ease of reading this article, Standard Time references will be referred to as “winter,” while Daylight Time will be listed as “summer.”
Table of Contents:
- Why Doesn’t Arizona Follow Daylight Saving Time?
- How Does Daylight Saving Time Impact Arizona?
- Examples of Arizona’s Time Zone Travel Impact
- Visiting Antelope Canyon, Glen Canyon, or Monument Valley
- Adjusting Your Phone for Arizona Time
- Sunrise and Sunset Times at Grand Canyon’s South Rim
- Take Time to Explore Grand Canyon Elopement Possibilities
- Pin Grand Canyon Time Zone Explanation
Why Doesn’t Arizona Follow Daylight Saving Time?
To answer that question, it helps to know the purpose of the time change. Time zones were established by railroads in the late 1880s, and every state was on Standard Time.
The idea of moving ahead one hour in the spring came from the energy-saving cost benefits during wartime in the early 1900s. It then transitioned to the benefit of having an extra hour of daylight in the evening during the warmer spring and summer months.
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a fixed schedule of Daylight Saving Time at the federal level. Since then, Daylight Saving Time has started on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November–always on a weekend and always at 2am local time. In March, all clocks move forward one hour. In November, clocks “fall back” an hour.
Arizona wasn’t happy with Daylight Saving Time from the start. Simply put, Arizona leaders believed the state already had enough heat and sun in the summer. Plus, adding an hour would increase energy consumption and costs for air conditioning.
Plus, consider that even without Daylight Saving Time, August temperatures at the bottom of the Grand Canyon reach 106° F on average and reach 110° F in Yuma. Another hour of summer sunshine wasn’t necessary or desired.
Is Daylight Saving Time Optional? Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, states have the option to exempt themselves from DST by passing a state law or regulation. Arizona, along with Hawaii, has chosen not to observe it.
Not ALL of Arizona Skips Daylight Saving Time
The only exception to Daylight Saving Time in Arizona is the Navajo Nation, a sovereign nation with a footprint that is largely in northeastern Arizona but also expands to Utah and New Mexico.
The decision to adopt Daylight Saving Time in the Navajo Nation keeps the multi-state land in the same time zone year-round.
However, there are more exceptions within that exception. Keep reading for specific examples.
How Does Daylight Saving Time Impact Arizona?
At the root of Arizona time zone comprehension is understanding that half the year, Arizona is in tandem with the Mountain Time Zone. The other half of the year syncs with the Pacific Time Zone.
When visitors outside the state make travel arrangements, things can get tricky. This is also where many sources make it overly confusing.
Arizona is always in Mountain Standard Time, which is not the same as saying Arizona is always in the Mountain Time Zone.
Arizona is always in Mountain Standard Time, which is not the same as saying Arizona is always in the Mountain Time Zone. Mountain Standard Time is always UTC-7. (UTC, or Universal Time Coordinated, serves as the time zone baseline from which all other time zones are calculated. Here’s an easy UTC clock.)
In winter, Arizona is on Standard Time (UTC-7). When other states “spring forward” in March, that means they are on Daylight Time. Utah goes from Mountain Standard Time to Mountain Daylight Time for summer, which is UTC-6. Since Arizona doesn’t change, it’s still at UTC-7. Technically, it’s still on Mountain Standard Time.
It’s the “Mountain Standard Time” year-round part that confuses some because flights, weddings, and attractions aren’t booked with that caveat in mind. They are booked based on Pacific Time and Mountain Time in mind, whether it’s summer or winter (Daylight or Standard).
Now, to further understand, it’s important to note that Pacific Standard Time is UTC-8, but when Daylight Saving Time kicks in, the one-hour leap puts it at UTC-7, which is the same as Arizona. In summer, it’s most commonly understood that Arizona is on Pacific Daylight Time since they are both UTC-7.
Arizona technically sticks to Standard Time year-round. It’s just easier to say, “Arizona is in the Pacific Time Zone in the summer.”
SIMPLE SUMMARY: From 2am on the second Sunday in March through 2am on the first Sunday in November, Arizona aligns with the Pacific Time Zone. From 2am on the first Sunday in November through 2am on the second Sunday in March, Arizona is matched with other Mountain Time Zone states.
Examples of Arizona’s Time Zone Travel Impact
The concept becomes easier to understand when you look at real-life examples of how this transition can impact a trip to the Grand Canyon for a wedding or elopement.
Driving from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon
If you’re flying into Las Vegas (LAS) for the drive to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim in summer, the route is 280 miles and will take about four hours and 15 minutes. Nevada and Arizona will be in the same time zone. If you leave Las Vegas at noon, you’ll arrive at Grand Canyon Village around 4:15pm.
Leaving LAS on a winter day still takes about 4:15 drive time. The difference is that LAS will be on Pacific Standard Time. When you cross into Arizona, you’ll be on Mountain Standard Time, meaning the clocks move ahead an hour. That same drive has an arrival time of 5:15pm, even though you’ve driven the same distance.
On the return trip, driving from the Grand Canyon to LAS means you leave at noon, making the four-hour 15-minute drive, but you’ll go back an hour when you cross into Nevada. That means instead of arriving at 4:15pm, you’ll arrive at 3:15pm during winter.
Flying Between Time Zones to Arizona
Those flying into Phoenix might notice something odd when booking flight times from different time zones. Let’s look at Denver as an example.
Denver and Phoenix are both in Mountain Standard Time in winter. The flight between the two cities takes roughly two hours. A noon flight out of DEN in winter will get you to PHX at 2pm.
That same flight that leaves at noon in summer will have an arrival time of around 1pm since you “gained an hour” flying from Denver’s Mountain Time zone to Arizona’s alignment with Pacific Daylight Time.
On the other hand, flying from Los Angeles is always a 90-minute flight. However, in winter, a 7am flight gets you into Phoenix at 9:30am. That’s due to 90 minutes of flight plus the hour gained when moving between Pacific Standard Time and Mountain Standard Time.
In summer, the 7am flight lands at 8:30 am since both L.A. and Phoenix are in sync with Pacific Daylight Time.
Visiting Antelope Canyon, Glen Canyon, or Monument Valley
As noted above, the Navajo Nation adheres to Daylight Saving Time. When planning things to do during your Grand Canyon wedding trip, you’ll run into places that are in Utah or within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation.
Again, in winter, Arizona, Utah, and the Navajo Nation are in the Mountain Time Zone. Planning times aren’t a challenge. However, summer is where things get confusing when Utah is one hour ahead of Arizona.
Here’s why:
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: While most of the NRA and Lake Powell are in Utah, the headquarters is in Arizona. That means the entire NRA is at the same time as the Grand Canyon, no matter what.
- Antelope Canyon: While this stunning slot canyon wonderland is on the Navajo Nation, it is an exception to the Daylight Saving Time rule. Since tours are required to explore the canyons, organizers found it easier to keep those on Arizona Time.
- Vermilion Cliffs National Monument: Depends on where you are within the monument, but all permit system times are based on the Utah/Navajo Nation. In-person activities and hikes will follow the time zone of the state you are in.
- Monument Valley: This spectacular scenic drive straddles Utah and Arizona but is within the Navajo Nation. Daylight Saving Time applies. It will always be in the same time zone as Salt Lake City.
Adjusting Your Phone for Arizona Time
Whether the Grand Canyon wedding couple or members of the wedding party want to explore beyond the Grand Canyon, it’s important to know that mobile phones don’t understand these complex rules.
Your phone and vehicle clock will change with the firm boundaries controlled by GPS. This is where location tracking for clocks can cause additional problems since you’ll never be 100% sure if the time is correct. But there is a solution.
Our advice? Summer visitors should have someone in their party manually set a mobile device clock for the same time as Phoenix. For an iPhone, that process is Settings > General > Date & Time > Turn Off Set Automatically > Choose Phoenix. Here are Android instructions.
Sunrise and Sunset Times at Grand Canyon’s South Rim
We know many couples want to have a sunset wedding or photo shoot, and you can plan around that time of day. It’s just as important to prepare for the Grand Canyon South Rim weather as it is for the sun angle.
While the days get longer or shorter with the seasonal transitions, the lack of adjusting an hour forward or back for Daylight Saving Time gives a more consistent time frame for sunset viewing and photos.
On the shortest day of the year, December 20, days last about nine hours and 45 minutes. Sunrise happens at 7:30am, and sunset is 5:15pm. On the longest day of the year, July 20, expect 14 hours of daylight, with the sunrise at 5:27am and sunset at 7:42pm.
That means Grand Canyon sunsets at the South Rim will always be somewhere between 5:15pm and 7:42pm.
MORE: Full list of sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset times from Grand Canyon National Park
Take Time to Explore Grand Canyon Elopement Possibilities
We wrote this article to help clear confusion, not create it. At the same time, it is always helpful to confirm with a vendor which time zone transition they adhere to in the summer.
You can also contact us with questions or to start planning a wedding, elopement, or proposal.
Pin Arizona Daylight Saving Time Explainer
FINAL FACT: The correct term is “Daylight Saving Time,” not “Daylight Savings Time,” because it highlights the action of saving daylight; adding an “s” turns “saving” into a noun, which doesn’t fit the context.
