South San Juan Wilderness — a wilderness area in Rio Grande County, Colorado — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 25 km (15 mi) W of Del Norte.
The South San Juan Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the San Juan National Forest, east of Pagosa Springs, in southern Colorado. The area, which spans 158,790 acres, was designated a Wilderness Area and put into the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1980 by the United States Congress. The Conejos, San Juan, and Blanco rivers all begin in the area. The last known grizzly bear in Colorado was killed in the wilderness in 1979. Some believe that it is still home to a few grizzlies, but there is no sufficient evidence yet to prove this.From the Wikipedia article “South San Juan Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At South San Juan 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) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 59° ENE | 8:32 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 120° ESE | 4:52 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 35m |
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 South San Juan 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 | 5:05 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 4:05 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:26 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:19 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 12:19 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:18 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 36% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 52 | 57 | 65 | 73 | 87 | 90 | 91 | 87 | 85 | 78 | 66 | 53 |
| Low °F | -23 | -15 | -10 | 9 | 16 | 29 | 39 | 38 | 19 | 11 | -8 | -22 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 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
- 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 South San Juan Wilderness, closest first.
National Forest
Hot Spring
Mountain Pass
Natural Arch
Volcano
WaterfallNatural Arch
WaterfallHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Alder Guard Station4.4 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central Co)20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Off Cow Camp Cabin24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Fitton Guard Station Cabin25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Elwood Cabin29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph South San Juan Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at South San Juan Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at South San Juan Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from South San Juan Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at South San Juan Wilderness?
How far is South San Juan 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.