Parkville is a ghost town in Summit County, Colorado. The nearest town is Breckenridge, about 7.8 km (4.8 mi) away (Parkville lies ENE of town).
Parkville (also known as Park City) is a ghost town located in, and the original county seat of, Summit County, Colorado, United States. Parkville was a gold mining camp that flourished from 1860 to 1866 near the confluence of the middle and south forks of the Swan River.From the Wikipedia article “Parkville, Summit County, Colorado”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Parkville 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) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 58° ENE | 8:35 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 120° ESE | 4:44 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 23m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 41m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:12 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 Parkville, 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 | 5:11 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:02 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:06 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 ≈ 21.29 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 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
- 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.
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Parkville, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
Ghost TownMountain PassScenic Viewpoint
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Jefferson Creek10.3 km (6.4 mi) · reservable
- Michigan Creek11.2 km (7.0 mi) · reservable
- Aspen (Co)12.4 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
- Hall Valley12.5 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
- Hall Valley Campground12.5 km (7.8 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Parkville?
What time is golden hour at Parkville?
Where does the sun rise and set at Parkville?
Can you see the Milky Way from Parkville?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Parkville?
How far is Parkville from Breckenridge?
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.