Rifle Falls is a waterfall in Garfield County, Colorado at about 2,013 m (6,604 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 14.8 km (9.2 mi) NNW of Silt.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rifle Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 58° ENE | 8:43 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 120° ESE | 4:50 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 23m |
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 Rifle Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:18 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 3:59 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 3:33 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:15 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:13 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.72 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 48 | 52 | 65 | 73 | 87 | 91 | 93 | 90 | 89 | 76 | 64 | 48 |
| Low °F | -25 | -22 | -8 | 7 | 18 | 27 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 5 | -15 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.8 |
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 waterfall
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Rifle Falls, closest first.
State Park
State Park
State Park
Natural Arch
CaveCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rifle Falls?
What time is golden hour at Rifle Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rifle Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rifle Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rifle Falls?
How far is Rifle Falls from Silt?
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.