Upper Disaster Falls — a waterfall in Moffat County, Colorado at about 1,771 m (5,810 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Naples, about 54 km (33 mi) away (Upper Disaster Falls lies ENE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Upper Disaster Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 58° ENE | 8:51 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 121° ESE | 4:52 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 15m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 17m |
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 Upper Disaster Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:44 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:44 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:40 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:56 PM – 3:36 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:47 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:59 PM – 12:09 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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. Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 37% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 54 | 59 | 73 | 82 | 95 | 98 | 101 | 98 | 95 | 82 | 67 | 52 |
| Low °F | -15 | -16 | 0 | 15 | 20 | 32 | 43 | 41 | 27 | 0 | 1 | -10 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 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 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Upper Disaster Falls, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Fire Lookout
Dark Sky Place
Natural ArchNatural Arch
National Wildlife Refuge
Cave
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Gates Of Lodore Campground9.2 km (5.7 mi)
- Gates Of Lodore Campground9.4 km (5.8 mi) · reservable
- Echo Park Campground15.2 km (9.5 mi) · reservable
- Rainbow Park Campground27 km (17 mi)
- Rainbow Park Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Upper Disaster Falls?
What time is golden hour at Upper Disaster Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Upper Disaster Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Upper Disaster Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Upper Disaster Falls?
How far is Upper Disaster Falls from Naples?
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.