Located in Moffat County, Colorado, Dinosaur National Monument is a dark sky place. It lies in or next to Dinosaur National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 45 km (28 mi) ENE of Naples. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Dinosaur National Monument is an American national monument located on the southeast flank of the Uinta Mountains on the border between Colorado and Utah at the confluence of the Green and Yampa rivers. Although most of the monument area is in Moffat County, Colorado, the Dinosaur Quarry is located in Utah, north of the town of Jensen, Utah. The nearest Colorado town is Dinosaur while the nearest city is Vernal, Utah. Originally preserved in 1915 to protect its famous Dinosaur Quarry, the monument was greatly expanded in 1938 to include its wealth of natural history. The park's wild landscapes, topography, geology, paleontology, and history make it a unique resource for both science and recreation. The park contains over 800 paleontological sites and has fossils of dinosaurs including Allosaurus, Deinonychus, Abydosaurus, and various sauropods. The Abydosaurus consists of a nearly...From the Wikipedia article “Dinosaur National Monument”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dinosaur National Monument 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 | 8:51 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 121° ESE | 4:53 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:15 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 | 5:46 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:22 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 Dinosaur National Monument, 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 ≈ 21.91 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 dark sky place
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Dinosaur National Monument, closest first.
Natural ArchNatural Arch
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
CaveScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Fire LookoutScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Echo Park Campground1.6 km (1.0 mi) · reservable
- Rainbow Park Campground16.7 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Rainbow Park Campground16.7 km (10.4 mi)
- Gates Of Lodore Campground23 km (14 mi)
- Gates Of Lodore Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dinosaur National Monument?
What time is golden hour at Dinosaur National Monument?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dinosaur National Monument?
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How far is Dinosaur National Monument from Naples?
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.