Located in San Juan County, Utah, Hovenweep National Monument is a dark sky place. It lies in or next to Hovenweep National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 36 km (22 mi) WNW of Towaoc. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Hovenweep National Monument is located on land in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah, between Cortez, Colorado and Blanding, Utah on the Cajon Mesa of the Great Sage Plain. Shallow tributaries run through the wide and deep canyons into the San Juan River. Although Hovenweep National Monument is largely known for the six groups of Ancestral Puebloan villages and its kiva, there is evidence of occupation by hunter-gatherers from 8,000 to 6,000 B.C. until about AD 200. Later, a succession of early puebloan cultures settled in the area and remained until the 14th century. Hovenweep became a National Monument in 1923 and is administered by the National Park Service. In July 2014, the International Dark-Sky Association designated Hovenweep an International Dark Sky Park.From the Wikipedia article “Hovenweep National Monument”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hovenweep National Monument the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 59° ENE | 8:41 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 119° ESE | 5:03 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 35m |
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 52m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:07 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 11m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 36m |
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 Hovenweep National Monument, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:51 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:13 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:53 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 12:27 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 10:24 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:07 PM – 8:27 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (56%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 64 | 66 | 80 | 84 | 98 | 103 | 105 | 102 | 100 | 88 | 75 | 61 |
| Low °F | -6 | -1 | 10 | 20 | 25 | 36 | 49 | 50 | 32 | 14 | 11 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
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.
- 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 Hovenweep National Monument, closest first.
Natural Arch
Hot Spring
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hovenweep National Monument?
What time is golden hour at Hovenweep National Monument?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hovenweep National Monument?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hovenweep National Monument?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hovenweep National Monument?
How far is Hovenweep National Monument from Towaoc?
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.