Lizard Head Wilderness is a wilderness area in Dolores County, Colorado. It is part of San Juan National Forest. It sits roughly 17.6 km (10.9 mi) SW of Mountain Village.
The Lizard Head Wilderness is a wilderness area in southwest Colorado. It contains 41,309 acres (167.17 km2) and is jointly managed by the Uncompahgre and San Juan National Forests. It is 10 miles (16 km) southwest of the town of Telluride and is named for a prominent rock formation that is said to look like a lizard's head. Lizard Head itself is 13,113 feet (3,997 m) and is a volcanic spire of crumbling rock. Due to the steepness of the cliffs and the poor quality of the rock for fixing ropes, only experienced mountaineers should attempt to summit the spire. Another 37 miles (60 km) of trails in this infrequently visited wilderness, are also strenuous and should be attempted by more advanced backpackers. The area includes three prominent fourteeners: El Diente Peak (14,159 feet (4,316 m)), Wilson Peak (14,017 feet (4,272 m)), and Mount Wilson (14,246 feet (4,342 m)). The area...From the Wikipedia article “Lizard Head Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lizard Head 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) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 59° ENE | 8:38 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 120° ESE | 4:57 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 | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:24 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 Lizard Head 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 | 5:10 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:21 AM – 5:01 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 4:10 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:24 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:23 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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 63 | 62 | 77 | 81 | 94 | 99 | 100 | 97 | 94 | 83 | 73 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | -3 | 1 | 17 | 22 | 31 | 45 | 45 | 29 | 11 | 3 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.6 |
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.
- 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 Lizard Head Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Hot Spring
WaterfallHot Spring
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Woods Lake6.9 km (4.3 mi) · reservable
- Burro Bridge7.0 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Cayton Campground7.6 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Matterhorn Cabin11.6 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- Matterhorn11.7 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lizard Head Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Lizard Head Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lizard Head Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lizard Head Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lizard Head Wilderness?
How far is Lizard Head Wilderness from Mountain Village?
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.