Horseshoe Crater is a volcano in Colfax County, New Mexico at about 2,262 m (7,421 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 44 km (27 mi) SE of Raton.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Horseshoe Crater 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 301° (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) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 60° ENE | 8:19 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 119° ESE | 4:44 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 39m |
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 | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:33 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 40m |
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 Horseshoe Crater, 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 24° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:44 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:00 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:52 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:59 PM – 3:59 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:03 PM – 2:13 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:24 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:33 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:47 PM – 8:17 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: 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 October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (51%). 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 | 66 | 72 | 79 | 86 | 98 | 100 | 100 | 96 | 95 | 87 | 78 | 69 |
| Low °F | 4 | -7 | 6 | 14 | 23 | 36 | 49 | 47 | 29 | 14 | 10 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
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
- 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.
- Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
- Long lenses from 20–60 miles away make large stratovolcanoes dominate the horizon.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Horseshoe Crater, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Horseshoe Crater?
What time is golden hour at Horseshoe Crater?
Where does the sun rise and set at Horseshoe Crater?
Can you see the Milky Way from Horseshoe Crater?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Horseshoe Crater?
How far is Horseshoe Crater from Raton?
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.