Holy Cross Wilderness is a wilderness area in Eagle County, Colorado. It is part of San Isabel National Forest. The nearest town is Minturn, about 14.0 km (8.7 mi) away (Holy Cross Wilderness lies SSW of town).
The Holy Cross Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in San Isabel and White River national forests near Leadville, Minturn, Avon, Edwards, Eagle, and Vail. The 122,797-acre (496.94 km2) wilderness with 164 miles (264 km) of trails was established in 1980. The wilderness was named after its highest peak, 14,005-foot (4,269 m) Mount of the Holy Cross. Holy Cross Wilderness is an area with many routes. Its neighbor Notch Mountain grants the backpacker or day tripper with a clear view of the "Cross" formed from the Mount of The Holy Cross, that has drawn many a visitor to the site. The Holy Cross Wilderness has a history of many hikers, often those who are unprepared, becoming endangered. Primarily, the hikers who require rescue are unfamiliar with the risks of entering wilderness areas and do not bring adequate equipment and supplies to respond to emergency conditions. Thorough...From the Wikipedia article “Holy Cross Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Holy Cross Wilderness 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) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 58° ENE | 8:37 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 57m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 120° ESE | 4:46 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 23m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 56m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 41m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 24m |
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 Holy Cross Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:13 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:23 AM – 3:53 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:37 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:09 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:08 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.62 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 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 36 | 34 | 55 | 61 | 75 | 82 | 82 | 78 | 78 | 69 | 54 | 43 |
| Low °F | -26 | -34 | -23 | -12 | 4 | 19 | 29 | 27 | 10 | -7 | -29 | -28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
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
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Holy Cross Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
National Forest
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Mountain Pass
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Gold Park Campground8.0 km (5.0 mi)
- Tigiwon Community House8.2 km (5.1 mi) · reservable
- Camp Hale Memorial15.2 km (9.5 mi) · reservable
- Camp Hale East Fork Group17.6 km (10.9 mi) · reservable
- May Queen21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Holy Cross Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Holy Cross Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Holy Cross Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Holy Cross Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Holy Cross Wilderness?
How far is Holy Cross Wilderness from Minturn?
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.