Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park is a state park in Colfax County, New Mexico. The nearest town is Angel Fire, about 5.4 km (3.4 mi) away (Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park lies N of town).
Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial established in honor of Vietnam War veterans, near United States Highway 64 in Angel Fire, New Mexico. Until 2017, it was a New Mexico state park, and it is now under the Department of Veteran Services. The Chapel was dedicated May 22, 1971. "The Chapel was the first major memorial created to honor the veterans of the Vietnam War." As the "Disabled American Veterans Vietnam Veterans National Memorial", it was recognized by the United States Congress as a "memorial of national significance" in 1987.From the Wikipedia article “Vietnam Veterans Memorial (New Mexico)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Vietnam Veterans Memorial 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 60° ENE | 8:23 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 119° ESE | 4:50 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:49 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:05 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:56 AM – 4:46 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:03 AM – 4:03 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 3:42 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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 ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (55%). 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 | 58 | 58 | 70 | 77 | 91 | 95 | 96 | 90 | 90 | 80 | 69 | 56 |
| Low °F | -8 | -11 | 0 | 17 | 19 | 31 | 45 | 40 | 25 | 13 | 5 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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 Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park, closest first.
Mountain Pass
State Park
Mountain Peak
State Park
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Mountain PeakMountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park?
What time is golden hour at Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park?
How far is Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park from Angel Fire?
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.