Located in Routt County, Colorado, Steamboat Lake State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Steamboat Springs, about 37 km (23 mi) away (Steamboat Lake State Park lies NNW of town).
Steamboat Lake State Park is a Colorado state park located in Routt County 27 miles (43 km) north of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and near the community of Hahns Peak Village. The 2,820-acre (1,140 ha) park land west of Hahns Peak was acquired in 1966. It and the 1,101 acres (446 ha) reservoir was opened to the public in 1972. As of 2021 park facilities include a visitors center, a marina, boat ramps, campsites, cabins, picnic sites and 5.5 miles (8.9 km) of hiking trails. Plant communities include sagebrush shrubland, quaking aspen and lodgepole pine forests, willow carr and marsh. Commonly seen mammalian wildlife species include mule deer and red fox. The reservoir attracts many species of shorebirds and waterfowl, including sandhill cranes that nest in the wetland areas.From the Wikipedia article “Steamboat Lake State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Steamboat Lake 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 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (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 | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 58° ENE | 8:43 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 121° ESE | 4:44 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 14m |
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 | 7:00 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 34m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 49m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 16m |
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 Steamboat Lake State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | 5:25 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:36 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:36 AM – 4:46 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 3:52 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:48 PM – 3:28 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:39 PM – 1:59 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 12:01 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:02 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:00 PM | 0.0 | 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 ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Steamboat Lake State Park, closest first.
Fire Lookout
State Park
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
Waterfall
Hot Spring
Wilderness Area
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hahns Peak Lake Campground - Medicine-Bow Routt Nf (Co)4.7 km (2.9 mi) · reservable
- Hinman Campground (Co)11.8 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Seedhouse Guard Station15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Seedhouse Campground15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Seedhouse Group Site - Medicine-Bow Routt Nf (Co)18.7 km (11.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Steamboat Lake State Park?
What time is golden hour at Steamboat Lake State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Steamboat Lake State Park?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Steamboat Lake State Park?
How far is Steamboat Lake 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.