Located in Saguache County, Colorado, Saguache Falls is a waterfall at about 3,284 m (10,774 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Del Norte, about 49 km (31 mi) away (Saguache Falls lies NW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Saguache Falls 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 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 59° ENE | 8:34 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 120° ESE | 4:52 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Saguache Falls, 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 | 5:05 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:21 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 | 7:58 PM – 8:18 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 ≈ 21.91 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 waterfall
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Saguache Falls, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Hot Spring
National Forest
VolcanoCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Stone Cellar Guard Station13.7 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Marshall Park23 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Alder Guard Station30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Saguache Falls?
What time is golden hour at Saguache Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Saguache Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Saguache Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Saguache Falls?
How far is Saguache Falls from Del Norte?
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.