Located in Jackson County, Colorado, Lulu City is a ghost town. It lies in or next to Rocky Mountain National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Estes Park, about 29 km (18 mi) away (Lulu City lies WNW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lulu City was a transient mining town in eastern Grand County, Colorado, in the Kawuneeche Valley in what is now Rocky Mountain National Park. The town appeared after silver was discovered in the area in 1879 by prospector Joe Shipler, and was built primarily by the Middle Park and Grand River Land Improvement Company in 1880. The company was backed by Benjamin F. Burnett of Fort Collins and Fort Collins rancher William Baker. The town was named after Burnett's daughter. By 1881, there were forty cabins and a number of business establishments. By this time it was apparent that the silver ore was of low grade, and that high transportation costs made mining in the area marginal, and the town began its decline. It was abandoned by 1885, except by Shipler, who lived there for thirty years. The settlement of Dutchtown was established in the Never Summer Mountains to the west of town by...From the Wikipedia article “Lulu City, Colorado”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lulu City the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 58° ENE | 8:38 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 121° ESE | 4:41 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 17m |
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 | 8:07 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 25m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:09 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 47m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 18m |
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 Lulu City, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | 5:20 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:30 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:25 AM – 3:45 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:21 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 2:02 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:45 PM – 11:55 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 9:56 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 7:55 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.57 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 46% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 46 | 48 | 65 | 71 | 83 | 89 | 90 | 88 | 85 | 74 | 62 | 50 |
| Low °F | -26 | -31 | -15 | -3 | 5 | 27 | 36 | 31 | 19 | -4 | -12 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
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
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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
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 25 km of Lulu City, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Lake
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Lake
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Pass
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Grandview Campground6.4 km (4.0 mi)
- Rocky Mountain National Park Timber Creek Campground7.4 km (4.6 mi) · reservable
- Long Draw Campground10.3 km (6.4 mi)
- Chambers Lake16.7 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Aspen Campground17.6 km (10.9 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lulu City?
What time is golden hour at Lulu City?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lulu City?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lulu City?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lulu City?
How far is Lulu City from Estes Park?
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.