Mount Vernon — a ghost town in Jefferson County, Colorado — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is West Pleasant View, about 5.3 km (3.3 mi) away (Mount Vernon lies SSW of town).
Mount Vernon is an extinct town from the former Jefferson Territory, the site of which is located in present-day Jefferson County, Colorado. Mount Vernon was founded in 1859 by Dr. Joseph Casto who followed the gold rush to Colorado in 1858. He did not find gold, but decided to establish a town between the mining camps and the city of Denver. With three other men, he founded the Denver, Auraria, and Colorado Wagon Company in December 1859. After gold ore was discovered near Central City in 1859, a trail was established through Mount Vernon. It was a main route into the mountain. A toll road that passed through Mount Vernon and through Mount Vernon Canyon was built by the wagon company, and then purchased in 1880 by Jefferson County and no longer requiring a toll to use the road. The road became U.S. 40, and then Interstate 70.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Vernon, Colorado”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Vernon 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 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) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 58° ENE | 8:33 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 121° ESE | 4:40 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:01 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 23m |
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 Mount Vernon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 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 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:46 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:49 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:23 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 2:05 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:00 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:03 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.11 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 44% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 46 | 47 | 64 | 68 | 81 | 86 | 87 | 85 | 82 | 73 | 62 | 49 |
| Low °F | -21 | -30 | -20 | -8 | 4 | 23 | 34 | 31 | 16 | -6 | -14 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
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
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Mount Vernon, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Rock Formation
Mountain Peak
Lake
Botanical Garden
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mestaa’Ėhehe Mountain Fire Lookout24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Cold Springs - Arapaho Roosevelt Nf (Co)30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Vernon?
What time is golden hour at Mount Vernon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Vernon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Vernon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Vernon?
How far is Mount Vernon from West Pleasant View?
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.