Located in Montrose County, Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a dark sky place. It lies in or next to Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Montrose, about 17.2 km (10.7 mi) away (Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park lies NE of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a national park of the United States located in western Colorado and managed by the National Park Service. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison was established as a national monument on March 2, 1933. It was redesignated a national park on October 21, 1999, and incorporated 4,000 acres owned by the Bureau of Land Management. The Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area was created at the same time. There are two primary entrances to the park: the south rim entrance is located 15 miles (24 km) east of Montrose, while the north rim entrance is 11 miles (18 km) south of Crawford and is closed in the winter. The park contains 12 miles (19 km) of the 48-mile-long (77 km) Gunnison River. The national park itself contains the deepest and most dramatic section of the canyon, but the canyon continues upstream into Curecanti National Recreation Area...From the Wikipedia article “Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 59° ENE | 8:39 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 120° ESE | 4:54 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:59 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:03 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:45 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:18 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:45 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.75 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 39% 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 | 53 | 52 | 66 | 72 | 87 | 92 | 93 | 88 | 86 | 76 | 64 | 51 |
| Low °F | -21 | -15 | -8 | 6 | 18 | 22 | 35 | 33 | 22 | 1 | -5 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.6 |
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 dark sky place
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Use the Milky Way table to find months and hours when the core is above the horizon.
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. 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 40 km of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Mountain Pass
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Black Canyon Of The Gunnison North Rim Campground1.7 km (1.0 mi) · reservable
- Black Canyon Of The Gunnison South Rim Campground4.8 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
- East Portal Campground9.0 km (5.6 mi) · reservable
- East Portal Campground9.0 km (5.6 mi)
- Cimarron Campground21 km (13 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park?
What time is golden hour at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park?
How far is Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park from Montrose?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via 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.