Located in San Juan County, Utah, Colorado River Overlook is a scenic viewpoint at about 1,453 m (4,767 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Canyonlands National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 47 km (29 mi) SSW of Moab.
From the National Park Service
This overlook is 7 miles down a rugged, unpaved road. You must have a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle or mountain bike. No permit required.
This moderate road is good for mountain bikes. You can avoid the large rocks and stair-step drops in the last 1.5 miles by parking on the road and walking to the overlook. (Be sure to leave room for other vehicles to pass.) There are outstanding views of the Colorado River canyon. This is an unprotected overlook; use caution. No vehicle camping. Accessibility: The parking area at the end of the unpaved road is rocky and uneven, and may not allow for much exploration by wheelchair.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Colorado River Overlook 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 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 59° ENE | 8:47 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:33 AM | 120° ESE | 5:03 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:05 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 31m |
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 Colorado River Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 4:19 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:34 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 12:33 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 59 | 62 | 77 | 85 | 98 | 102 | 104 | 100 | 98 | 87 | 73 | 59 |
| Low °F | -7 | -8 | 8 | 18 | 22 | 34 | 48 | 47 | 32 | 7 | 8 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Colorado River Overlook, closest first.
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Natural Arch
Dark Sky Place
Scenic Viewpoint
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Canyonlands National Park Needles District Campground8.0 km (5.0 mi) · reservable
- Indian Creek Falls Group Site13.6 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Hamburger Rock Campground14.2 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
- Creek Pasture Group Site17.8 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
- Creek Pasture Campground18.2 km (11.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Colorado River Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Colorado River Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Colorado River Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Colorado River Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Colorado River Overlook?
How far is Colorado River Overlook from Moab?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service, 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.