Rio Grande National Forest is a national forest in Mineral County, Colorado. The nearest town is Del Norte, about 43 km (27 mi) away (Rio Grande National Forest lies W of town).
Rio Grande National Forest is a 1.86 million-acre (7,530 km2) U.S. national forest located in southwestern Colorado. The forest encompasses the San Luis Valley, which is the world's largest agricultural alpine valley, as well as one of the world's largest high deserts located around mountains. The Rio Grande rises in the forest, and the Continental Divide runs along most of its western border. The forest lies in parts of nine counties. In descending order of land area within the forest they are Saguache, Mineral, Conejos, Rio Grande, Hinsdale, San Juan, Alamosa, Archuleta, and Custer counties. Forest headquarters are currently located in Del Norte, Colorado. There are local ranger district offices in Del Norte, La Jara, and Saguache.From the Wikipedia article “Rio Grande National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rio Grande National Forest 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:33 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 34m |
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 Rio Grande National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 4:05 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:26 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:19 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 12:19 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 52 | 57 | 65 | 73 | 87 | 90 | 91 | 87 | 85 | 78 | 66 | 53 |
| Low °F | -23 | -15 | -10 | 9 | 16 | 29 | 39 | 38 | 19 | 11 | -8 | -22 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 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 national forest
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Rio Grande National Forest, closest first.
Hot Spring
Volcano
Natural Arch
Wilderness Area
WaterfallHot Spring
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Marshall Park14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Alder Guard Station17.0 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central Co)23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Bristol Head Campground29 km (18 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rio Grande National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Rio Grande National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rio Grande National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rio Grande National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rio Grande National Forest?
How far is Rio Grande National Forest from Del Norte?
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.