Located in Dolores County, Colorado, Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area is a scenic viewpoint at about 2,442 m (8,012 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Monticello, about 49 km (30 mi) away (Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area lies E of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area 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) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 59° ENE | 8:41 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 120° ESE | 5:00 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:37 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:33 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:35 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 34m |
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 Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area, 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:13 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 5:04 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:13 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:34 PM – 3:54 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 12:27 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:23 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:06 PM – 8:26 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 63 | 62 | 77 | 81 | 94 | 99 | 100 | 97 | 94 | 83 | 73 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | -3 | 1 | 17 | 22 | 31 | 45 | 45 | 29 | 11 | 3 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.6 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area?
What time is golden hour at Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area?
How far is Dolores Canyon Overlook Picnic Area from Monticello?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.