San Pedro Parks Wilderness is a wilderness area in Sandoval County, New Mexico. It is part of Santa Fe National Forest. The nearest town is Santa Teresa, about 13.7 km (8.5 mi) away (San Pedro Parks Wilderness lies WSW of town).
The San Pedro Parks Wilderness is located in southern Rio Arriba County in northern New Mexico and part of the Santa Fe National Forest. It is 41,132 acres (16,646 ha) (64 sq miles) in size. Elevations range from 8,300 feet (2,500 m) in the southwestern corner to 10,592 feet (3,228 m) at San Pedro Peaks near the center of the Wilderness. The Wilderness's average elevation is over 10,000 ft. Conifer forests, interspaced with grassy meadows, called "parks", characterize the wilderness. San Pedro Parks Wilderness is primarily visited for hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing. The Continental Divide Trail passes through the Wilderness.From the Wikipedia article “San Pedro Parks Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Pedro Parks 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) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 60° ENE | 8:28 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 119° ESE | 4:57 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 42m |
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 | 4:38 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 43m |
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 San Pedro Parks 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 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:00 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:01 AM – 5:01 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:07 AM – 4:17 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:16 PM – 3:56 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:10 PM – 2:30 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 12:33 AM | 3.0 | 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 | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.8 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
- 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 San Pedro Parks Wilderness, closest first.
Natural Arch
Hot Spring
State Park
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Scenic ViewpointHot Spring
Volcano
Dark Sky PlaceCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Clear Creek Group Campground (Nm)10.8 km (6.7 mi) · reservable
- Rio De Las Vacas Campground10.8 km (6.7 mi) · reservable
- Clear Creek Campground (Nm)12.0 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
- San Antonio Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Pedro Parks Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at San Pedro Parks Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Pedro Parks Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Pedro Parks Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Pedro Parks Wilderness?
How far is San Pedro Parks 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.