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Rock Formations in Colorado

8 rock formations in Colorado with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Mesa County has the most (4). The darkest skies are at Pawnee Buttes (Bortle 2).

Top rock formations

Castle RockRock Formation
Castle RockDouglas County
Dawson ButteRock Formation
Dawson ButteDouglas County
Pawnee ButtesRock Formation
Pawnee ButtesWeld County
Kissing CoupleRock Formation
Kissing CoupleMesa County
Coke OvensRock Formation
Coke OvensMesa County
Grand View SpireRock Formation
Grand View SpireMesa County
Sentinel SpireRock Formation
Sentinel SpireMesa County
Rock Formation
Willowbrook AmphitheatreJefferson County

Rock Formations by county

Map

How to photograph rock formations

Rock towers and buttes glow red and orange in the first and last half-hour of sun; midday light flattens their shape.

  • Find a spot where the formation sits against open sky to emphasize its silhouette.
  • At night, a formation under the Milky Way or star trails makes a strong anchor.
  • Use the sunrise and sunset azimuths below to know which face will be lit.
  • Stay on trails; desert soils and lichens take decades to recover from footprints.

Season: Spring and autumn are best in desert regions; winter snow on red rock is rare but spectacular.