Located in Chaffee County, Colorado, Aspen Arch is a natural arch at about 2,897 m (9,505 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 8.2 km (5.1 mi) NNE of Buena Vista.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Aspen Arch 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 59° ENE | 8:34 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 120° ESE | 4:46 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 26m |
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
Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 53m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 38m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Aspen Arch, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:11 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:46 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 3:58 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:31 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:14 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:05 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:05 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.61 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 44 | 48 | 63 | 68 | 82 | 86 | 87 | 83 | 82 | 72 | 60 | 49 |
| Low °F | -28 | -25 | -13 | 2 | 11 | 23 | 35 | 34 | 19 | -3 | -21 | -23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
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 natural arch
- Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
- Frame distant features through the opening of the arch for a natural window.
- At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
- Use a wide lens and get close to emphasize the span against the sky.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Aspen Arch, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
Waterfall
Hot Spring
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Buffalo Springs16.5 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
- Weston Pass18.9 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
- Collegiate Peaks22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Cottonwood Lake - Psicc (Co)22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Bassam Guard Station22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Aspen Arch?
What time is golden hour at Aspen Arch?
Where does the sun rise and set at Aspen Arch?
Can you see the Milky Way from Aspen Arch?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Aspen Arch?
How far is Aspen Arch from Buena Vista?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.