Located in Guadalupe County, New Mexico, Santa Rosa Lake State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Santa Rosa, about 12.5 km (7.8 mi) away (Santa Rosa Lake State Park lies N of town).
Santa Rosa Lake State Park is a state park that opened in 1981 in Guadalupe County, New Mexico. The park elevation is 4,800 feet (1,500 m) above sea level. The park is located 7 miles (11 km) north of the town of Santa Rosa via New Mexico Route 91.From the Wikipedia article “Santa Rosa Lake State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Santa Rosa Lake State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 60° ENE | 8:17 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 119° ESE | 4:51 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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 | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 49m |
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 Santa Rosa Lake State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | 4:37 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:51 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:51 AM – 4:51 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:55 PM – 4:15 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:02 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:57 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:22 PM – 12:22 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:33 PM – 10:23 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.86 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (47%). 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 | 72 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 101 | 106 | 107 | 102 | 99 | 92 | 84 | 74 |
| Low °F | 11 | 1 | 11 | 24 | 30 | 44 | 53 | 53 | 35 | 17 | 12 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
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
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 Santa Rosa Lake State Park, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Santa Rosa Lake State Park?
What time is golden hour at Santa Rosa Lake State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Santa Rosa Lake State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Santa Rosa Lake State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Santa Rosa Lake State Park?
How far is Santa Rosa Lake State Park from Santa Rosa?
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.