Independence — a ghost town in Pitkin County, Colorado at about 3,326 m (10,912 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Aspen, about 21 km (13 mi) away (Independence lies ESE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Independence is an extinct town located in Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. It is located at an elevation of 10,913 feet (3,326 m) 2.2 miles (3.6 km) directly west of Independence Pass. It was the first settlement established in the Roaring Fork Valley, after gold was struck in the vicinity on Independence Day, July 4, 1879, hence its name. It has also been known historically as Mammoth City, Mount Hope, and Hunter's Pass. In 1973, it was recognized as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Independence and Independence Mill Site. Like other early settlements in the upper Roaring Fork Valley, it lost population over the course of the decade as Aspen emerged as the ideal location for commerce in the region, and then became the county seat. It was never able to overcome the severe winters that resulted from its location at a high elevation...From the Wikipedia article “Independence, Pitkin County, Colorado”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Independence the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (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) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 59° ENE | 8:37 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 120° ESE | 4:48 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 25m |
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 | 8:05 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 26m |
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 Independence, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| 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 | 4:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 8:07 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: 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 ≈ 21.75 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.
- 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 Independence, closest first.
Lake
Mountain Pass
Lake
LakeWilderness Area
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lincoln Creek Dispersed Campground7.9 km (4.9 mi)
- Difficult Campground14.8 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Twin Peaks (Co)16.4 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
- Twin Peaks Campground16.4 km (10.2 mi)
- Elbert Creek17.3 km (10.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Independence?
What time is golden hour at Independence?
Where does the sun rise and set at Independence?
Can you see the Milky Way from Independence?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Independence?
How far is Independence from Aspen?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.