Zuni Salt Lake, also known as Fence Lake, New Mexico, USA
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34.4500° N108.7677° W1,897 mBortle 1Denver

Zuñi Salt Lake Photography Guide

Lake in Catron County, New Mexico · 1,897 m (6,224 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Bureau of Land Management, Dep't of Interior, U.S. Government · Public domain · source

Zuñi Salt Lake is a lake in Catron County, New Mexico at about 1,897 m (6,224 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 55 km (34 mi) E of Saint Johns.

Zuñi Salt Lake, also Zuni Salt Lake (Zuni: Maʼkʼyayʼa) is a rare high desert lake, and a classic maar, located in Catron County, New Mexico, United States, about 60 miles (97 km) south of the Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico.From the Wikipedia article “Zuñi Salt Lake”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Elevation
1,897 m
6,224 ft
Nearest town
Saint Johns
55 km (34 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
October
30% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:08 PM
sunset 6:42 PM

Light at Zuñi Salt Lake

Live
Sunrise
7:25 AM
Sunset
6:36 PM
Golden hour AM
7:10 AM – 8:00 AM
Golden hour PM
6:01 PM – 6:51 PM
Blue hour AM
7:00 AM – 7:10 AM
Blue hour PM
6:51 PM – 7:01 PM
Full darkness
8:00 PM – 6:02 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:36 PM / 1:46 AM
Day length
11h 10m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Zuñi Salt Lake the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:20 AM90° E7:27 PM271° W55°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:04 AM61° ENE8:31 PM300° WNW79°14h 28m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:04 AM89° E7:13 PM271° W56°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:19 AM118° ESE5:09 PM242° WSW32°9h 51m

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

Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:55 AM7:22 AM8:00 AM4:51 PM5:28 PM5:56 PM10h 06m
February6:36 AM7:01 AM7:36 AM5:24 PM5:59 PM6:25 PM10h 58m
March7:01 AM7:27 AM8:00 AM6:50 PM7:23 PM7:48 PM11h 57m
April6:18 AM6:44 AM7:18 AM7:13 PM7:47 PM8:13 PM13h 03m
May5:46 AM6:14 AM6:49 AM7:35 PM8:11 PM8:39 PM13h 57m
June5:34 AM6:03 AM6:40 AM7:53 PM8:30 PM8:59 PM14h 27m
July5:46 AM6:14 AM6:51 AM7:52 PM8:29 PM8:58 PM14h 14m
August6:10 AM6:37 AM7:11 AM7:30 PM8:04 PM8:31 PM13h 27m
September6:34 AM6:59 AM7:32 AM6:50 PM7:23 PM7:49 PM12h 24m
October6:56 AM7:21 AM7:55 AM6:08 PM6:42 PM7:07 PM11h 21m
November6:23 AM6:49 AM7:26 AM4:35 PM5:12 PM5:39 PM10h 22m
December6:47 AM7:15 AM7:54 AM4:28 PM5:07 PM5:35 PM9h 52m

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 Zuñi Salt Lake, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February4:53 AM – 5:33 AM0.716°SE → SE
March4:07 AM – 5:57 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April2:05 AM – 5:05 AM3.026°SE → S
May12:09 AM – 4:29 AM4.327°SE → SSW
June10:15 PM – 4:15 AM6.027°SE → SW
July10:11 PM – 2:51 AM4.727°SSE → SW
August9:36 PM – 12:46 AM3.227°S → SW
September8:48 PM – 10:38 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October8:05 PM – 8:45 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-18°—

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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (58%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6469778494981009593847467
Low °F-2-2111923354948311510-1
Precip. (in)0.70.70.50.50.50.42.62.61.60.80.70.8

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 lake

  • After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
  • For mirror reflections, get low and close to the water; the reflection grows with a lower camera.
  • A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
  • Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
  • Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.

Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, Wide-angle lens, Waterproof boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Zuñi Salt Lake?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.
What time is golden hour at Zuñi Salt Lake?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:08 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:42 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:55 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Zuñi Salt Lake?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Zuñi Salt Lake?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Zuñi Salt Lake?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Zuñi Salt Lake from Saint Johns?
About 55 km (34 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.