Located in Sandoval County, New Mexico, Valles Caldera National Preserve is a dark sky place. It lies in or next to Valles Caldera National Preserve, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Los Alamos, about 24 km (15 mi) away (Valles Caldera National Preserve lies W of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
The Valles Caldera (or Jemez Caldera) is a 13.7-mile-wide (22.0 km) volcanic caldera in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. Hot springs, streams, fumaroles, natural gas seeps, and volcanic domes dot the caldera landscape. The highest point in the caldera is Redondo Peak, an 11,254-foot (3,430 m) resurgent lava dome located entirely within the caldera and surrounded by moat-like flows of rhyolitic solidified lavas. Located within the caldera are several grass valleys, or valles, the largest of which is Valle Grande (locally VY-ay GRAHN-day), the only one accessible by a paved road. In 1975, Valles Caldera was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service with much of the caldera being within the Valles Caldera National Preserve, a unit of the National Park System. The area has a varied history involving cultural significance, economic resources,...From the Wikipedia article “Valles Caldera”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Valles Caldera National Preserve the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 60° ENE | 8:27 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 119° ESE | 4:57 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 43m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 00m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 17m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 44m |
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 Valles Caldera National Preserve, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:54 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:59 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:00 AM – 5:00 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 4:15 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:13 PM – 3:53 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:08 PM – 2:28 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:31 PM – 12:31 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:31 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 8:27 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.7 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 65 | 70 | 79 | 86 | 97 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 96 | 86 | 73 | 64 |
| Low °F | 0 | -3 | 13 | 20 | 25 | 38 | 52 | 48 | 31 | 18 | 11 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
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 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Valles Caldera National Preserve, closest first.
Volcano
Scenic Viewpoint
Hot Spring
WaterfallHot Spring
Natural Arch
Cave
State ParkHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Redondo Campground5.4 km (3.4 mi) · reservable
- Jemez Falls (Nm) Picnic Area6.6 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- Jemez Falls Campground6.6 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- San Antonio Campground7.5 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Paliza18.8 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Valles Caldera National Preserve?
What time is golden hour at Valles Caldera National Preserve?
Where does the sun rise and set at Valles Caldera National Preserve?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Valles Caldera National Preserve?
How far is Valles Caldera National Preserve from Los Alamos?
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.