Gilman is a ghost town in Eagle County, Colorado. It sits roughly 6.8 km (4.2 mi) SSE of Minturn.
Gilman is an abandoned mining town in southeastern Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The Gilman post office operated from November 3, 1886, until April 22, 1986. The U.S. Post Office at Minturn (ZIP Code 81645) now serves Gilman postal addresses. Founded in 1886 during the Colorado Silver Boom, the town later became a center of lead and zinc mining in Colorado, centered on the now-flooded Eagle Mine. It was abandoned in 1984 by order of the Environmental Protection Agency because of toxic pollutants, including contamination of the ground water, as well as unprofitability of the mines. It is currently a ghost town on private property and is strictly off limits to the public. At the time of the abandonment, the mining operations were owned by Gulf and Western Industries.From the Wikipedia article “Gilman, Colorado”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gilman the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 58° ENE | 8:37 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 120° ESE | 4:46 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 22m |
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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 24m |
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 Gilman, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:13 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:23 AM – 3:53 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:37 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:09 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.51 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ 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 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 36 | 34 | 55 | 61 | 75 | 82 | 82 | 78 | 78 | 69 | 54 | 43 |
| Low °F | -26 | -34 | -23 | -12 | 4 | 19 | 29 | 27 | 10 | -7 | -29 | -28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
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 ghost town
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Gilman, closest first.
Natural Arch
National Forest
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Botanical Garden
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tigiwon Community House2.6 km (1.6 mi) · reservable
- Camp Hale Memorial14.2 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
- Gold Park Campground14.7 km (9.1 mi)
- Gore Creek Campground14.7 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Camp Hale East Fork Group15.5 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gilman?
What time is golden hour at Gilman?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gilman?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gilman?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gilman?
How far is Gilman from Minturn?
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.