Located in Routt County, Colorado, Stagecoach State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 22 km (14 mi) S of Steamboat Springs.
Stagecoach State Park is a Colorado State Park located in Routt County 17 miles (27 km) south of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The 1,641-acre (6.64 km2) park established in 1989 includes a 771-acre (3.12 km2) reservoir on the Yampa River formed by Stagecoach Dam. Facilities include a marina, boat ramps, campsites, picnic sites and 8 miles (13 km) of trails. Park uplands are montane shrub communities, with riparian areas and wetlands around the reservoir and along the river. Commonly sighted wildlife includes elk, mule deer, coyote, red fox and badger.From the Wikipedia article “Stagecoach State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Stagecoach State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 58° ENE | 8:41 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 121° ESE | 4:45 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 18m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 37m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 25m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 02m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 46m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 58m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 19m |
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 Stagecoach 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:24 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:35 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.2 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 3:58 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 3:33 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:04 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:00 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.2 | 11° | 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 ≈ 21.77 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 37 | 34 | 60 | 67 | 81 | 87 | 88 | 85 | 82 | 73 | 58 | 45 |
| Low °F | -26 | -40 | -21 | -14 | 1 | 22 | 33 | 31 | 20 | -5 | -22 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
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
- 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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Stagecoach State Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
National Forest
Hot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Meadows Campground (Co)15.3 km (9.5 mi) · reservable
- Dumont Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Lynx Pass Campground25 km (16 mi)
- Dry Lake Campground (Co)28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Stagecoach State Park?
What time is golden hour at Stagecoach State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Stagecoach State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Stagecoach State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Stagecoach State Park?
How far is Stagecoach State Park from Steamboat Springs?
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.