Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in Colorado. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Bent's Old Fort 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 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:09 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:58 PM | 244° | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:33 PM | 255° | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:01 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:30 PM | 283° | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:58 PM | 295° | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:19 PM | 301° | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:17 PM | 299° | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 289° | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 275° | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:17 PM | 260° | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:43 PM | 247° | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:36 PM | 241° | 9h 32m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.0398, -103.4266); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Bent's Old Fort, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:52 AM – 5:12 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 3:59 AM – 5:29 AM | 1.5 | 19° |
| April | 2:03 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 12:03 AM – 3:53 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:15 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:08 PM – 2:08 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:27 PM – 12:07 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 8:33 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 7:45 PM – 8:05 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Summer temperatures are often in the high 90s and low 100s. Weather is generally fair in the fall and spring. Winter temperatures can be below freezing. Most of the replica fort is unheated and does not have modern cooling systems, so dress accordingly.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (56%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
The park is accessed via U.S. Highway 50 and Highway 194. From La Junta, Colorado on U.S. Highway 50, take Colorado Highway 109 north 1 mile to Colorado Highway 194, then east on Colorado Highway 194 six miles to the fort. From Las Animas, Colorado, on U.S. Highway 50, take Colorado Highway 194 west 13 miles. Set your GPS to 35110 State Highway 194 E., La Junta, CO.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Living History
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
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