Located in Sandoval County, New Mexico, Santa Fe National Forest is a national forest. It sits roughly 14.2 km (8.8 mi) S of White Rock.
The Santa Fe National Forest is a protected national forest in northern New Mexico in the Southwestern United States. It was established in 1915 and covers 1,558,452 acres (6,306.83 km2). Elevations range from 5,300 feet (1600 m) to 13,103 feet (4000 m) at the summit of Truchas Peak, located within the Pecos Wilderness. The Jemez, Coyote, and Cuba districts are located in the Jemez Mountains; the Pecos/Las Vegas district is located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains; and the Española district is located in both mountain ranges. In descending order of land area the forest lies in parts of Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Mora, and Los Alamos counties. Forest headquarters are located in the city of Santa Fe. Santa Fe National Forest was established on July 1, 1915 by the U.S. Forest Service with the amalgamation of Jemez National Forest to the west of Santa Fe and Pecos...From the Wikipedia article “Santa Fe National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Santa Fe National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 60° ENE | 8:25 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 119° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 44m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 00m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 34m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 21m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:22 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 17m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 45m |
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 Santa Fe National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:58 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:04 AM – 4:14 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:30 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:30 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.36 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 65 | 70 | 79 | 86 | 97 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 96 | 86 | 73 | 64 |
| Low °F | 0 | -3 | 13 | 20 | 25 | 38 | 52 | 48 | 31 | 18 | 11 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
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
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Santa Fe National Forest, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Cave
Cave
Scenic Viewpoint
Wilderness Area
Ghost Town
Natural Arch
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tetilla Peak11.1 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
- Juniper Campground (Nm)12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Cochiti Campground13.0 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Ponderosa Group Campground (Nm)20 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Santa Fe National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Santa Fe National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Santa Fe National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Santa Fe National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Santa Fe National Forest?
How far is Santa Fe National Forest from White Rock?
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.