Sitting Bull Falls — a waterfall in Eddy County, New Mexico at about 1,481 m (4,859 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Carlsbad, about 48 km (30 mi) away (Sitting Bull Falls lies WSW of town).
Sitting Bull Falls is a series of waterfalls located in a canyon in the Lincoln National Forest southwest of the city of Carlsbad, New Mexico. The United States Department of Agriculture's Forest Service maintains a popular recreation area for day use at the location of the falls. The falls are fed by springs located in the canyon above. The water flows through a series of streams and pools until reaching the falls where it drops 150 feet into the canyon below. Most of the water disappears into the gravel or cracks in the rocks and either reappears in springs further down the canyon or joins the Pecos Valley underground water supply. The area around Sitting Bull Falls is the remnant of a reef system known as the Capitan Great Barrier Reef dating from the Permian period. Approximately 250 million years ago, the region was located near the edge of an inland sea. The origin of the name...From the Wikipedia article “Sitting Bull Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sitting Bull Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:53 AM | 61° ENE | 8:09 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:57 AM | 118° ESE | 4:59 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 02m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:11 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 5:35 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 48m |
| June | 5:24 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 15m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 04m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:03 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:04 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 03m |
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 Sitting Bull Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° 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 | 4:28 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:39 AM – 5:39 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:34 AM – 4:54 AM | 3.3 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:34 PM – 4:24 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:49 PM – 4:09 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:45 PM – 2:45 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:14 PM – 12:44 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:29 PM – 10:39 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 8:39 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 33% average cloud cover) and August as the cloudiest (49%). 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 | 77 | 85 | 92 | 101 | 105 | 110 | 110 | 110 | 102 | 97 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 17 | 8 | 18 | 28 | 35 | 55 | 60 | 58 | 48 | 25 | 21 | 16 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
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 circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
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 Sitting Bull Falls, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sitting Bull Falls?
What time is golden hour at Sitting Bull Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sitting Bull Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sitting Bull Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sitting Bull Falls?
How far is Sitting Bull Falls from Carlsbad?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. 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.