Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness — a wilderness area in Pueblo County, Colorado — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 19.1 km (11.9 mi) WSW of Colorado City.
The Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located northwest of Walsenburg, Colorado in the San Isabel and Pike National Forests. The wilderness area includes the summit of Greenhorn Mountain, the highest point in the Wet Mountains of Colorado. There are 11 miles (18 km) of trails, all in the northern half of the wilderness.From the Wikipedia article “Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness 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 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 59° ENE | 8:26 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 120° ESE | 4:45 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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 34m |
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 Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:58 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:05 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:09 AM – 4:49 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:08 AM – 3:58 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:19 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:12 PM – 2:12 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:11 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: 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 ≈ 21.78 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 60 | 69 | 75 | 91 | 93 | 94 | 90 | 88 | 80 | 68 | 57 |
| Low °F | -14 | -12 | -3 | 13 | 18 | 30 | 43 | 40 | 21 | 11 | -5 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 |
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 wilderness area
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ponderosa Group - Lake Isabel13.8 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Spruce Group - Lake Isabel13.8 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Lake Isabel Cabin14.9 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Southside Campground - Lake Isabel15.2 km (9.4 mi) · reservable
- St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel15.2 km (9.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness?
How far is Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness from Colorado City?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.