Mantle's Cave is a cave in Moffat County, Colorado. It lies in or next to Dinosaur National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Rangely, about 43 km (27 mi) away (Mantle's Cave lies N of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mantle's Cave is a cliff alcove in Dinosaur National Monument in Moffat County, Colorado. Located in the Castle Park region of the park, it is the largest rock shelter in the area. It was discovered before 1921 by local ranchers, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mantle. Mrs. Mantle is reported to have done some excavation of the site, followed up by the Penrose-Taylor expedition of 1933 from Colorado College and the Fountain Valley School, which designated the site "Cave One." The site is a significant resource for the Fremont culture and is among the best resources in northwestern Colorado. Excavations in the 1930s and 1940s yielded significant material on the Fremont people and their relationship to the later Ancestral Puebloans.From the Wikipedia article “Mantle's Cave”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mantle's Cave 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) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 58° ENE | 8:50 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 121° ESE | 4:53 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 17m |
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
Caves are lit artificially — show caves have fixed lighting, so a fast lens and high ISO beat flash, which flattens formations.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 47m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 18m |
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 Mantle's Cave, 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:44 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:43 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:38 AM – 3:58 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:54 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:45 PM – 2:15 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:58 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:08 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 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 37% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 54 | 59 | 73 | 82 | 95 | 98 | 101 | 98 | 95 | 82 | 67 | 52 |
| Low °F | -15 | -16 | 0 | 15 | 20 | 32 | 43 | 41 | 27 | 0 | 1 | -10 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
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 cave
- Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
- Many show caves restrict tripods on tours; ask in advance or bring a small beanbag.
- Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
- Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
Suggested gear: Fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8), High-ISO camera, Small beanbag. 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 25 km of Mantle's Cave, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Natural Arch
CanyonNatural Arch
Dark Sky PlaceScenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
WaterfallScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Echo Park Campground9.7 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
- Rainbow Park Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Rainbow Park Campground23 km (15 mi)
- Gates Of Lodore Campground29 km (18 mi)
- Gates Of Lodore Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mantle's Cave?
What time is golden hour at Mantle's Cave?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mantle's Cave?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mantle's Cave?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mantle's Cave?
How far is Mantle's Cave from Rangely?
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.