Rawah Wilderness — a wilderness area in Larimer County, Colorado — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Roosevelt National Forest. It sits roughly 59 km (37 mi) NW of Estes Park.
The Rawah Wilderness is administered by the USDA Forest Service. It is located on the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Roosevelt National Forest in Colorado, near the Wyoming border, and also in the Routt National Forest to its south. 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 natural conditions". All mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in wilderness areas. The Rawah Wilderness encompasses 76,394 acres (309.16 km2) and includes 25 named lakes ranging in size from five to 39 acres (20,000 to 160,000 m2). There are 85 miles (137 km) of trails in the area and elevation ranges from 8,400 feet (2,600 m) to 13,000 feet (4,000 m). Much of the area is traversed by the Medicine Bow...From the Wikipedia article “Rawah Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rawah 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) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 58° ENE | 8:40 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 121° ESE | 4:40 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 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 4:59 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 49m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:09 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 Rawah 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 | 5:21 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:32 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 3:48 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 3:24 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 1:55 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 11:57 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 9:58 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 7:56 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 ≈ 21.73 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 46% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (67%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 48 | 65 | 71 | 83 | 89 | 90 | 88 | 85 | 74 | 62 | 50 |
| Low °F | -26 | -31 | -15 | -3 | 5 | 27 | 36 | 31 | 19 | -4 | -12 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
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
- 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.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Rawah Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Lake
State Park
Mountain Pass
National Wildlife Refuge
Canyon
Lake
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Stub Creek Cabin7.6 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Sleeping Elephant Campground21 km (13 mi)
- Sage Campground23 km (14 mi)
- Chambers Lake23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- North Fork Poudre Campground24 km (15 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rawah Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Rawah Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rawah Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rawah Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rawah Wilderness?
How far is Rawah Wilderness from Estes Park?
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.