Mount Zirkel Wilderness is a wilderness area in Routt County, Colorado. The nearest town is Steamboat Springs, about 32 km (20 mi) away (Mount Zirkel Wilderness lies NNE of town).
Mount Zirkel Wilderness is located in Routt National Forest in northwestern Colorado. The closest city is Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The Wilderness is named after Mount Zirkel, the highest peak in the range at 12,182 feet (3,713 m), which itself is named after German geologist Ferdinand Zirkel. The lowest elevation in the Wilderness is about 7,500 ft (2,300 m). Mount Zirkel Wilderness has a total area of 159,935 acres (64,723 ha) (250 sq. miles). Some sources give the size of the Wilderness as 160,648 acres (65,012 ha). Hiking and fishing are popular activities for visitors. The Mount Zirkel Wilderness was created in 1964 and has been expanded twice. A wilderness area is defined by law as "an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its...From the Wikipedia article “Mount Zirkel Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Zirkel 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 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 58° ENE | 8:42 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 121° ESE | 4:43 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 15m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 49m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:08 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 16m |
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 Mount Zirkel Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:24 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:35 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:35 AM – 4:45 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:31 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:47 PM – 3:27 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:38 PM – 1:58 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 12:00 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 10:01 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 7:59 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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 ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 43% 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 | 37 | 34 | 60 | 67 | 81 | 87 | 88 | 85 | 82 | 73 | 58 | 45 |
| Low °F | -26 | -40 | -21 | -14 | 1 | 22 | 33 | 31 | 20 | -5 | -22 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
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.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- 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 Mount Zirkel Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
Waterfall
Fire Lookout
State Park
Mountain Pass
National Forest
Hot Spring
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Seedhouse Group Site - Medicine-Bow Routt Nf (Co)4.4 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Seedhouse Campground7.0 km (4.3 mi) · reservable
- Seedhouse Guard Station7.2 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Hinman Campground (Co)12.0 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
- Teal Lake Group Campsite19.7 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Zirkel Wilderness?
How far is Mount Zirkel Wilderness from Steamboat Springs?
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.