Valles Caldera is a volcano in Sandoval County, New Mexico at about 2,860 m (9,383 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Valles Caldera National Preserve, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Los Alamos, about 22 km (14 mi) away (Valles Caldera lies W of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Valles Caldera 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 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 60° ENE | 8:27 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 119° ESE | 4:57 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 43m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 17m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 44m |
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 Valles Caldera, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 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 | 4:54 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:59 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:00 AM – 5:00 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 4:16 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:15 PM – 3:55 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 12:32 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 10:22 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 8:27 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.7 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 65 | 70 | 79 | 86 | 97 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 96 | 86 | 73 | 64 |
| Low °F | 0 | -3 | 13 | 20 | 25 | 38 | 52 | 48 | 31 | 18 | 11 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
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
- 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.
- Check local volcanic activity notices and area closures before visiting.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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.
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 Valles Caldera, closest first.
Dark Sky Place
Scenic Viewpoint
Hot SpringHot Spring
Waterfall
State Park
Natural Arch
Cave
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Redondo Campground8.1 km (5.0 mi) · reservable
- San Antonio Campground8.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Jemez Falls (Nm) Picnic Area10.5 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- Jemez Falls Campground10.6 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Ponderosa Group Campground (Nm)19.0 km (11.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Valles Caldera?
What time is golden hour at Valles Caldera?
Where does the sun rise and set at Valles Caldera?
Can you see the Milky Way from Valles Caldera?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Valles Caldera?
How far is Valles Caldera from Los Alamos?
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.