Chama River Canyon Wilderness — a wilderness area in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Carson National Forest. It sits roughly 20 km (13 mi) N of Santa Teresa.
Congress created the Chama River Canyon Wilderness in New Mexico in February 1978. The wilderness area covers approximately 50,300 acres (20,356 ha) on the Coyote Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest and the Carson National Forest. The water in the Rio Chama brings the canyon area to life. Lush vegetation that supports abundant wildlife contrasts with the seemingly bare rocky slopes that lead to the mesa tops. The wilderness area surrounds much private property along the waterways. The wilderness area includes the site of the Cañon de Chama land grant. A large area of northern New Mexico was included in the original Mexican land grant, but the U.S. Government confirmed only a small area along the river. The village cemetery is in the wilderness area.From the Wikipedia article “Chama River Canyon Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chama River Canyon Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 60° ENE | 8:28 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 119° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 41m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 37m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 24m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 42m |
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 Chama River Canyon Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:55 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:10 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:02 AM – 5:02 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:08 AM – 4:18 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:17 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:11 PM – 2:31 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:24 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 10:23 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:28 PM | 0.5 | 15° | 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 ≈ 21.86 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 35% 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 | 56 | 58 | 72 | 77 | 92 | 96 | 95 | 92 | 90 | 80 | 70 | 56 |
| Low °F | -17 | -11 | 0 | 16 | 20 | 31 | 44 | 41 | 23 | 13 | 4 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 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
- 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 Chama River Canyon Wilderness, closest first.
Rock Formation
Natural Arch
Mountain Peak
Wilderness AreaNatural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chama River Canyon Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Chama River Canyon Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chama River Canyon Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chama River Canyon Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chama River Canyon Wilderness?
How far is Chama River Canyon Wilderness from Santa Teresa?
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.