James Peak Wilderness is a wilderness area in Clear Creek County, Colorado. It sits roughly 15.0 km (9.3 mi) SE of Fraser.
The James Peak Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area in north central Colorado in the Arapaho and Roosevelt national forests. The wilderness area borders Indian Peaks Wilderness to the north and the James Peak Protection Area to the west.From the Wikipedia article “James Peak Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At James Peak Wilderness 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 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) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 58° ENE | 8:35 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 15h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 121° ESE | 4:42 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 20m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 59m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 22m |
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 James Peak Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:02 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:05 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:05 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.13 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 44% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 46 | 47 | 64 | 68 | 81 | 86 | 87 | 85 | 82 | 73 | 62 | 49 |
| Low °F | -21 | -30 | -20 | -8 | 4 | 23 | 34 | 31 | 16 | -6 | -14 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
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
- 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.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 James Peak Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain PassMountain Pass
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Midland Group Campground5.3 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Midland Group Campground5.3 km (3.3 mi)
- Robbers Roost Campground6.2 km (3.8 mi)
- Idlewild Campground9.7 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
- Columbine Campground12.5 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph James Peak Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at James Peak Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at James Peak Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from James Peak Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at James Peak Wilderness?
How far is James Peak Wilderness from Fraser?
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.