Rifle Gap State Park is a state park in Garfield County, Colorado. The nearest town is Rifle, about 11.4 km (7.1 mi) away (Rifle Gap State Park lies NNE of town).
Rifle Gap State Park is a Colorado State Park located in Garfield County near Rifle, Colorado. The 1,341-acre (543-hectare) park established in 1966 includes a 360-acre (150-hectare) reservoir. Plant communities are pinyon-juniper woodlands, sagebrush shrubland with deciduous riparian forest in places along the edge of the Rifle Gap Reservoir. Commonly observed wildlife include mule deer, elk and great horned owls. Park facilities include a visitors center, campgrounds, picnic sites and a boat ramp.From the Wikipedia article “Rifle Gap State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rifle Gap State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 58° ENE | 8:43 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 120° ESE | 4:51 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 22m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 23m |
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 Rifle Gap State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:18 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 3:59 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 3:33 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:15 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:13 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 ≈ 21.6 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 September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 48 | 52 | 65 | 73 | 87 | 91 | 93 | 90 | 89 | 76 | 64 | 48 |
| Low °F | -25 | -22 | -8 | 7 | 18 | 27 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 5 | -15 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.8 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Rifle Gap State Park, closest first.
Natural Arch
State Park
Waterfall
State ParkWaterfallWaterfall
Mountain Peak
Hot Spring
CaveCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rifle Gap State Park?
What time is golden hour at Rifle Gap State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rifle Gap State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rifle Gap State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rifle Gap State Park?
How far is Rifle Gap State Park from Rifle?
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.