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33.1427° N107.8544° WBortle 1Denver

Reeds Peak Lookout Tower Photography Guide

Fire Lookout in Sierra County, New Mexico

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–299°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Sierra County, New Mexico, Reeds Peak Lookout Tower is a fire lookout. It is part of Gila National Forest. It sits roughly 49 km (30 mi) NE of Santa Clara. Its recorded tower height is about 48 m (157 ft). It dates from 1929. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Reeds Peak Lookout Tower, at Squeaky Spring in Gila National Forest, on Reeds Peak, New Mexico, was built in 1929. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.From the Wikipedia article “Reeds Peak Lookout Tower”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Santa Clara
49 km (30 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
October
29% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:06 PM
sunset 6:39 PM

Light at Reeds Peak Lookout Tower

Live
Sunrise
7:20 AM
Sunset
6:33 PM
Golden hour AM
7:05 AM – 7:54 AM
Golden hour PM
6:00 PM – 6:49 PM
Blue hour AM
6:55 AM – 7:05 AM
Blue hour PM
6:49 PM – 6:59 PM
Full darkness
7:56 PM – 5:58 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:30 PM / 1:45 AM
Day length
11h 13m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Reeds Peak Lookout Tower the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:16 AM90° E7:23 PM271° W57°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:04 AM61° ENE8:24 PM299° WNW80°14h 21m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:00 AM89° E7:10 PM271° W57°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:12 AM118° ESE5:09 PM242° WSW33°9h 57m

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

Lookouts are built for 360° views, so sunrise and sunset are both options — use the azimuths to decide which view you want.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:49 AM7:15 AM7:52 AM4:51 PM5:27 PM5:54 PM10h 12m
February6:31 AM6:56 AM7:30 AM5:23 PM5:57 PM6:22 PM11h 01m
March6:58 AM7:23 AM7:55 AM6:47 PM7:20 PM7:44 PM11h 57m
April6:17 AM6:42 AM7:15 AM7:09 PM7:42 PM8:07 PM13h 00m
May5:45 AM6:13 AM6:48 AM7:30 PM8:05 PM8:32 PM13h 52m
June5:34 AM6:03 AM6:39 AM7:46 PM8:23 PM8:51 PM14h 20m
July5:46 AM6:14 AM6:50 AM7:46 PM8:22 PM8:50 PM14h 08m
August6:09 AM6:35 AM7:09 AM7:25 PM7:58 PM8:25 PM13h 23m
September6:31 AM6:56 AM7:28 AM6:47 PM7:19 PM7:44 PM12h 24m
October6:51 AM7:16 AM7:50 AM6:06 PM6:39 PM7:04 PM11h 23m
November6:17 AM6:43 AM7:19 AM4:35 PM5:11 PM5:37 PM10h 28m
December6:41 AM7:08 AM7:46 AM4:29 PM5:07 PM5:34 PM9h 59m

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 Reeds Peak Lookout Tower, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
February4:50 AM – 5:30 AM0.717°SE → SE
March3:52 AM – 5:52 AM2.024°SE → SSE
April1:49 AM – 5:09 AM3.328°SE → S
May11:50 PM – 4:30 AM4.728°SE → SSW
June10:05 PM – 4:15 AM6.228°SE → SW
July10:01 PM – 2:51 AM4.828°SSE → SW
August9:28 PM – 12:48 AM3.328°S → SW
September8:42 PM – 10:42 PM2.025°SSW → SW
October8:01 PM – 8:51 PM0.817°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-18°—

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.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 29% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (57%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F70768088961011019795877771
Low °F2-31724284253513518179
Precip. (in)0.70.60.40.40.50.52.62.61.90.80.70.7

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 fire lookout

  • Some lookouts can be rented overnight through recreation.gov, which puts you on site for both sunset and sunrise.
  • Shoot the tower itself against the Milky Way or star trails on clear, moonless nights.
  • Haze from wildfire smoke can turn the sun deep red but reduce visibility; check air quality.
  • Access roads may be rough or seasonal.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

Season: Summer and early autumn; many towers are staffed only during fire season.

Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Warm layers. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Reeds Peak Lookout Tower, closest first.

Wilderness Area
Aldo Leopold Wilderness4.0 km away · Sierra County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Reeds Peak Lookout Tower?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Summer and early autumn; many towers are staffed only during fire season.
What time is golden hour at Reeds Peak Lookout Tower?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:06 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:39 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:50 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Reeds Peak Lookout Tower?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Reeds Peak Lookout Tower?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Reeds Peak Lookout Tower?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Reeds Peak Lookout Tower from Santa Clara?
About 49 km (30 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: 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.