San Juan National Forest is a national forest in La Plata County, Colorado. The nearest town is Durango, about 36 km (22 mi) away (San Juan National Forest lies NNE of town).
The San Juan National Forest is a U.S. national forest covering over 1,878,846 acres (2,935.7 sq mi, or 7,603.42 km²) in western Colorado. The forest occupies land in Archuleta, Conejos, Dolores, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mineral, Montezuma, Rio Grande, San Miguel and San Juan Counties. It borders the Uncompahgre National Forest to the north and the Rio Grande National Forest to the east. The forest covers most of the southern portion of the San Juan Mountains west of the Continental Divide. The forest contains two alpine wilderness areas; the Weminuche and South San Juan, as well as the Piedra Area. The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad passes through the National Forest. The name of the forest comes from the San Juan River, which was originally called the Rio San Juan, after Saint John the Baptist (San Juan Bautista in Spanish).From the Wikipedia article “San Juan National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Juan 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) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:36 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 120° ESE | 4:57 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:29 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 35m |
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 San Juan 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 24° 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 | 5:09 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:22 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 ≈ 21.9 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 (55%). 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 | 48 | 52 | 61 | 69 | 81 | 85 | 87 | 83 | 82 | 71 | 62 | 50 |
| Low °F | -31 | -20 | -13 | -3 | 11 | 23 | 33 | 32 | 13 | 2 | -20 | -28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.2 |
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.
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- 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 San Juan National Forest, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Transfer Park Campground10.4 km (6.4 mi) · reservable
- Transfer Park Campground10.4 km (6.4 mi)
- Florida Campground (Co)11.7 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Haviland Lake Campground12.0 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
- Chris Park12.1 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Juan National Forest?
What time is golden hour at San Juan National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Juan National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Juan National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Juan National Forest?
How far is San Juan National Forest from Durango?
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.