Laramie Peak — a mountain peak in Albany County, Wyoming at about 3,059 m (10,036 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 47 km (29 mi) WNW of Wheatland.
Laramie Peak Is the highest and most prominent peak in the Laramie Range of Wyoming. With a peak elevation of 10,275 feet (3,132 m), it is the only peak in the Laramie Range to exceed an elevation of 10,000 feet (3,000 m). It can be seen from great distances from both sides of the Laramie Range including from around 100 miles (160 km) away at the top of the Scotts Bluff National Monument in Nebraska and in the Wyoming towns of Wheatland, Douglas, Rock River, and immediately outside the cities of Laramie and Cheyenne.From the Wikipedia article “Laramie Peak”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Laramie Peak the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 57° ENE | 8:43 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 122° ESE | 4:33 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 05m |
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
Summits catch first and last light — alpenglow can turn rock pink or orange minutes before sunrise and after sunset while valleys stay in shadow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 15m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 58m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:35 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 06m |
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 Laramie Peak, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:42 AM – 5:32 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:35 AM – 4:35 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:44 AM – 3:34 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:54 PM – 3:04 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 1:44 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 11:42 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 9:39 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 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. Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 56 | 57 | 72 | 78 | 89 | 97 | 97 | 94 | 92 | 80 | 67 | 56 |
| Low °F | -18 | -30 | -4 | 5 | 12 | 29 | 40 | 37 | 20 | -1 | -7 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
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 mountain peak
- Alpenglow lasts only a few minutes; set up and focus beforehand.
- Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
- Photograph the peak from a lake, meadow or ridge at sunrise when the face that looks east lights up first.
- Long lenses compress ridgelines; shoot the peak from several miles away to make it look massive.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Early summer keeps snow on the peaks with green valleys below; autumn adds aspen or larch color in many ranges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lightweight tripod, Warm layers, Microspikes in shoulder seasons. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Laramie Peak, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Friend Park Campground3.8 km (2.3 mi) · reservable
- Esterbrook Campground19.8 km (12.3 mi) · reservable
- Curtis Gulch Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Laramie Peak?
What time is golden hour at Laramie Peak?
Where does the sun rise and set at Laramie Peak?
Can you see the Milky Way from Laramie Peak?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Laramie Peak?
How far is Laramie Peak from Wheatland?
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.