La Garita Caldera is a volcano in Mineral County, Colorado. It sits roughly 52 km (32 mi) W of Del Norte.
La Garita Caldera is a large and extinct caldera in the San Juan volcanic field in the San Juan Mountains around the town of Creede in southwestern Colorado, United States. It is west of La Garita, Colorado. The eruption that created the La Garita Caldera is among the largest known volcanic eruptions in Earth's history, as well as being one of the most powerful known supervolcanic events.From the Wikipedia article “La Garita Caldera”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At La Garita Caldera 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) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:34 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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
Volcanic cones and lava fields have strong shapes that read well in side-light; dark basalt needs careful exposure.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 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 La Garita Caldera, 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 | 5:06 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:13 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:47 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 2:20 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:20 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:16 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:19 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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 52 | 57 | 65 | 73 | 87 | 90 | 91 | 87 | 85 | 78 | 66 | 53 |
| Low °F | -23 | -15 | -10 | 9 | 16 | 29 | 39 | 38 | 19 | 11 | -8 | -22 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.4 |
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 volcano
- Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
- Long lenses from 20–60 miles away make large stratovolcanoes dominate the horizon.
- Check local volcanic activity notices and area closures before visiting.
- Snow-capped volcanoes reflect alpenglow at sunrise — shoot from a lake or meadow for a reflection.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of La Garita Caldera, closest first.
National Forest
Hot Spring
Natural Arch
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Marshall Park5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Bristol Head Campground19.9 km (12.3 mi)
- Alder Guard Station26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- River Hill26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central Co)27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph La Garita Caldera?
What time is golden hour at La Garita Caldera?
Where does the sun rise and set at La Garita Caldera?
Can you see the Milky Way from La Garita Caldera?
Do you need a permit to photograph at La Garita Caldera?
How far is La Garita Caldera from Del Norte?
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.