Located in Bent County, Colorado, John Martin Reservoir State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 26 km (16 mi) E of Las Animas.
John Martin Reservoir State Park is a state park in Colorado. It contains John Martin Reservoir, which is the second largest body of water in Colorado by capacity. It is also known for being a prime birdwatching location. Bent County, Colorado has been documented to have over 400 different species of birds. The namesake reservoir of the park is created by a 118-foot tall (36 m) and 2.6-mile long dam (4.2 km), which goes by the name of John Martin Dam. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials released thirty black-footed ferrets into a prairie dog colony in the nearby Southern Planes Preserve in 2022.From the Wikipedia article “John Martin Reservoir State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At John Martin Reservoir State Park 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 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:30 AM | 59° ENE | 8:19 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:05 AM | 120° ESE | 4:36 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 9h 31m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:52 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 4:58 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:09 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:43 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 32m |
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 John Martin Reservoir State Park, 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 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 | 4:50 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:57 AM – 5:27 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:01 AM – 4:41 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:01 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:13 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:06 PM – 2:06 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:25 PM – 12:05 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 10:01 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:03 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 ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (59%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 72 | 80 | 87 | 94 | 105 | 111 | 109 | 107 | 103 | 93 | 84 | 73 |
| Low °F | -1 | -4 | 4 | 16 | 28 | 42 | 51 | 50 | 34 | 16 | 6 | -1 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
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 state park
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph John Martin Reservoir State Park?
What time is golden hour at John Martin Reservoir State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at John Martin Reservoir State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from John Martin Reservoir State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at John Martin Reservoir State Park?
How far is John Martin Reservoir State Park from Las Animas?
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.