Located in Alamosa County, Colorado, San Luis State Park is a state park. It lies in or next to Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 23 km (14 mi) NNE of Alamosa East.
San Luis State Park is a former state park located in Alamosa County, Colorado, United States. In 2017, the property lost its status as a state park, and management of it was transferred to the San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area. San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area is located east of the town of Mosca, south off State Highway 150 near the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The state wildlife area contains an intermittent lake which is sometimes allocated small quantities of water from the hydrologically managed San Luis Closed Basin drainage.From the Wikipedia article “San Luis State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Luis 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) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 59° ENE | 8:29 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 120° ESE | 4:48 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:16 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 San Luis 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:01 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:08 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:12 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:22 PM – 3:42 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:15 PM – 2:15 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:14 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.84 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 54 | 60 | 69 | 75 | 91 | 93 | 94 | 90 | 88 | 80 | 68 | 57 |
| Low °F | -14 | -12 | -3 | 13 | 18 | 30 | 43 | 40 | 21 | 11 | -5 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- 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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of San Luis State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
National Wildlife Refuge
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakMountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Dark Sky Place
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Zapata Falls Campground13.0 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Pinon Flats Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Duncan Cabin25 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites26 km (16 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Luis State Park?
What time is golden hour at San Luis State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Luis State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Luis State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Luis State Park?
How far is San Luis State Park from Alamosa East?
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.