Unaweep Canyon is a mountain pass in Mesa County, Colorado. It sits roughly 31 km (19 mi) SSW of Orchard Mesa.
Unaweep Canyon is a geologically unique canyon that cuts across the Uncompahgre Plateau, Mesa County, in western Colorado. It is unique because two creeks, East Creek and West Creek, flow out of opposite ends of the canyon, separated by the almost imperceptible Unaweep Divide. State Highway 141 runs inside Unaweep Canyon between Whitewater and Gateway, one segment of the Colorado-designated Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic Byway. The Unaweep Divide, elevation 7,048 ft (2,148 m), is near mile marker 135 on SH 141.From the Wikipedia article “Unaweep Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Unaweep Canyon 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 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:19 AM | 90° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 59° ENE | 8:44 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 120° ESE | 4:57 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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
Mountain passes sit above valleys, so they reward sunrise and sunset with layered ridges, valley fog and long shadows.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 28m |
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 Unaweep Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 | 5:22 AM – 5:32 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:51 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:40 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 2:23 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:20 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:06 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.3 | 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.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 55 | 58 | 73 | 80 | 93 | 98 | 99 | 95 | 93 | 82 | 70 | 55 |
| Low °F | -14 | -10 | -4 | 15 | 20 | 31 | 43 | 44 | 26 | 6 | -1 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 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 mountain pass
- Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
- Wildflowers bloom late at pass elevations — often July to early August in the Rockies and Sierra.
- Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
- Look for the road itself as a leading line — switchbacks from above make strong compositions.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Summer and early autumn are the main season; winter visits depend on plowing and avalanche conditions.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Warm layers, Road-condition app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Unaweep Canyon, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Aspen Leaf Cabin (Uncompahgre National Forest, Co)15.7 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Oak Cabin15.7 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Unaweep Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Unaweep Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Unaweep Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Unaweep Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Unaweep Canyon?
How far is Unaweep Canyon from Orchard Mesa?
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.