Lathrop State Park is a state park in Huerfano County, Colorado. The nearest town is Walsenburg, about 5.2 km (3.2 mi) away (Lathrop State Park lies WSW of town).
Lathrop State Park is a Colorado state park located 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Walsenburg. The state purchased the property in 1962 and opened Colorado's first state park here later that same year. It is named after Harold Lathrop, the first director of state parks. The park features two lakes, Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake, that offer fishing for tiger muskie (46-inch, 25-pound examples have been caught here), rainbow trout, bass, catfish, northern pike, blue gill, saugeye, and wipers.From the Wikipedia article “Lathrop State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lathrop 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 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 59° ENE | 8:25 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:11 AM | 120° ESE | 4:45 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Lathrop 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 24° 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 | 4:57 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:04 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:07 AM – 4:47 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 3:56 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:16 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:10 PM – 2:10 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:10 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.47 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (50%). 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 | 69 | 73 | 82 | 90 | 100 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 97 | 89 | 78 | 71 |
| Low °F | 4 | -8 | 4 | 12 | 25 | 38 | 52 | 48 | 27 | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
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
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Lathrop State Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Mountain PeakMountain PeakMountain Peak
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lathrop State Park?
What time is golden hour at Lathrop State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lathrop State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lathrop State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lathrop State Park?
How far is Lathrop State Park from Walsenburg?
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.