Located in Mineral County, Colorado, La Garita Wilderness is a wilderness area. It is part of Gunnison National Forest. The nearest town is Del Norte, about 59 km (36 mi) away (La Garita Wilderness lies NW of town).
The La Garita Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the La Garita Mountains of southern Colorado. The 129,626-acre (524.58 km2) wilderness established in 1964 in Gunnison and Rio Grande National Forests includes segments of the Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. At 14,014 feet (4,271 m), San Luis Peak is the highest point in the wilderness area. One entrance to the wilderness area is via Forest Road 787 from Saguache Park and Cochetopa Park off State Highway 114 west of Saguache, Colorado. There is a parking lot for visitors to the wilderness area at the south end of FS 787. Cochetopa Park may also be entered from the east over Cochetopa Pass via Saguache County Road NN14.From the Wikipedia article “La Garita Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At La Garita 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 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 59° ENE | 8:34 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 120° ESE | 4:52 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 31m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 33m |
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 La Garita 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:13 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:29 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:19 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 44 | 48 | 63 | 68 | 82 | 86 | 87 | 83 | 82 | 72 | 60 | 49 |
| Low °F | -28 | -25 | -13 | 2 | 11 | 23 | 35 | 34 | 19 | -3 | -21 | -23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 La Garita Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Mountain Pass
Volcano
Hot Spring
Wilderness Area
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Stone Cellar Guard Station17.8 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
- Marshall Park25 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Deer Lakes (Co)27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph La Garita Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at La Garita Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at La Garita Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from La Garita Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at La Garita Wilderness?
How far is La Garita Wilderness from Del Norte?
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.