Where Should I Shoot This Weekend?
Tell me what you want to shoot, when, and how far you'll drive. I'll rank Colorado spots using the same live forecasts behind Planning Your Shot: cloud cover at sunrise and sunset, fall color and wildflower timing, waterfall flow, fog odds, moon phase and the aurora forecast.
How the rankings work
- Sunrise and sunset: the best color comes from high and mid clouds with a clear western (or eastern) horizon. Solid low cloud or a fully clear sky scores lower.
- Fall color and wildflowers: each spot's typical peak window, adjusted for this year's season, compared to the day you pick.
- Waterfalls: live stream gauges near each falls, compared to the year's low and peak flow.
- Milky Way and aurora: dark-sky spots scored on clear skies overnight, moonlight and (for aurora) the forecast Kp index. Aurora only counts north-facing spots.
- Fog: valley inversions forecast for the next one or two sunrises only. Further out isn't reliable.
Forecasts more than three days out change a lot, so check back the day before. Once you've picked a spot, use the Sun & Moon Planner to see exactly where the light will come from, and check pass and trail conditions before you drive.