Fort Collins is a city of about 170,924 people in Larimer County, Colorado, at 1,525 m (5,003 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:17 AM and sets at 6:14 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:37 PM – 6:31 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:23 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:07 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 17m |
Local time in America/Denver, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Fort Collins
At Fort Collins 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.
Best photo spots near Fort Collins
101 photo locations lie within 80 km of Fort Collins. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
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Natural Arches
Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Fort Collins is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Duck Creek Falls, about 160 km (99 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 7.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duck Creek Falls | Waterfall | 160 km (99 mi) | 1 |
| Elk Mountain | Mountain Peak | 168 km (104 mi) | 1 |
| Saratoga Hot Springs | Hot Spring | 173 km (108 mi) | 1 |
| Laramie Peak | Mountain Peak | 189 km (118 mi) | 1 |
| Cottonwood Falls | Waterfall | 193 km (120 mi) | 1 |
| Guernsey State Park | State Park | 193 km (120 mi) | 1 |
| Rawah Wilderness | Wilderness Area | 79 km (49 mi) | 2 |
| Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | 96 km (60 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.0 | 11° |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.2 | 17° |
| April | 2:27 AM – 4:37 AM | 2.2 | 20° |
| May | 12:22 AM – 3:42 AM | 3.3 | 21° |
| June | 10:38 PM – 3:18 AM | 4.7 | 21° |
| July | 10:29 PM – 1:59 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| August | 9:42 PM – 11:52 PM | 2.2 | 20° |
| September | 8:43 PM – 9:53 PM | 1.2 | 17° |
| October | 7:52 PM – 7:52 PM | 0.0 | 11° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (67%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.