This is where you would need to use a neutral density filter to hold back the sky and the sun and to bring up the foreground. A faster shutter speed is required when you need to create a slightly dark look.
7 Places to Catch a Rocky Mountain National Park Sunset
Rocky Mountain National Park has plenty of breathtaking vistas that make great places to watch sunset.
I’ve rounded up a list of some of the most stunning western-facing views in Rocky Mountain National Park. Choose from the spots below so you don’t have to hope you stumble upon a place with the sunset in view.
Here are 7 places to catch a sunset in Rocky Mountain National Park plus tips to make sure you have the perfect experience.
Tips to Watch Sunset in Rocky Mountain National Park
- Check sunset time and arrive to your preferred viewing point a bit ahead of time to snag a spot and make sure you don’t miss some of the best colors.
- If you’re watching from one of the trails suggested below, bring a headlamp or flashlight and warm layers. It’s cold at high altitude and you may get caught in an evening rain, which is common in the summer.
- Check out where each location is on this map. The suggestions are listed from the east side to the west side of the national park.
Moraine Park
Moraine Park can be found along the Bear Lake Road corridor on the east side of the national park. It’s a great spot to see sunset if you’re staying at Moraine Park Campground.
Even if you don’t have a timed entry reservation to enter this section of the park, you can see sunset here since reservations are only needed until 6pm during peak visitation months. (Sunset was around 7:30pm when we visited in August).
Consider meandering along the South Lateral Moraine Trail, which runs along the southern edge of Moraine Park, for views of the meadow and the sun setting behind the surrounding mountains.
Sheep Lakes
Sheep Lakes is located along Fall River Road about 5 minutes past the park’s Fall River entrance. This location is a good choice for sunset if you’re staying at the nearby Aspenglen Campground.
The Sheep Lakes pullout has enough parking for about 30 cars. The parking lot faces southwest so you can watch the sun set right from your vehicle. Or, you can stretch your legs along the sidewalk that runs the length of the parking lot.
Either way, you’ll enjoy views of the sun setting over this small water feature and the hills just beyond it.
Forest Canyon Overlook
Forest Canyon Overlook is along Trail Ridge Road, the highway that runs between the east and west sides of Rocky Mountain National Park. This overlook is about a 30 minute drive west of the Beaver Meadows entrance.
Forest Canyon Overlook offers spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains and the green valley below it.
You can watch the sun set over this gorgeous scenery from the parking lot or from the viewpoint at the end of the short trail.
This is a popular spot in the park, but we had minimal competition for a parking spot on a rainy Sunday evening.
Rock Cut
The Rock Cut parking area is also along Trail Ridge Road.
It’s about a 5 minute drive west of the Forest Canyon Overlook so you’ll get a similar view for sunset at this spot. Some people also like to witness sunset reflecting off of Longs Peak through the break in Rock Cut.
You can watch sunset from one of Rocky Mountain’s easy trails – the 1-mile roundtrip Tundra Communities Trail – or from the parking lot. Walking along the trail will bring you a beautiful 360-degree view.
Bonus: there are bathrooms at Rock Cut so you don’t need to risk losing your parking space if you’re waiting a long time for sunset.
Gore Range Overlook
Gore Range Overlook is at the mid-point of Trail Ridge Road about a mile east of the Alpine Visitor Center.
Here at 12,000 feet above sea level, a wide open view of the Gore Range and Never Summer Range await you.
There is a parking lot at the overlook with about 15 parking spots which faces southwest. Enjoy the view of the setting sun from your vehicle or walk along the sidewalk at the edge of the lot.
Alpine Visitor Center
The Alpine Visitor Center is another stop along Trail Ridge Road.
This visitor center is at the highest elevation of any visitor center in the entire National Park System at an elevation around 11,800 feet.
There is a café and souvenir shop here but the visitor center closes at 5pm. However, there are separate restrooms that are still available even in the evening.
If you’re up for the high elevation, I’d recommend the short climb up the Alpine Ridge Trail (pictured above). You’ll get beautiful sweeping views of sunset up at the top.
The Alpine Visitor Center has one of the larger parking areas of the spots on this list. It may be a good backup option for sunset if one of the nearby options are full.
Farview Curve
Farview Curve is the westernmost overlook along Trail Ridge Road.
This is the closest overlook to Timber Creek Campground. We saw a beautiful sunset from the campground, but the view from Farview Curve is far more stunning.
At Farview Curve you’ll take in spectacular views of the Never Summer Mountain Range and the Kawuneeche Valley.
The parking area at this overlook has enough space for about 15 cars, but since most visitors stay on the east side of the park you’ll likely have plenty of space by sunset.
Need more help planning your trip to Rocky Mountain National Park? Check out these related articles:
- The Best Campgrounds In (And Near) Rocky Mountain National Park
- 10 Easy But Gratifying Hikes In Rocky Mountain National Park
- How To Plan A National Park Trip: 7 Tips For A Perfect Visit
As always, enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Leave no trace on all of your adventures.
Laura
Hi, I’m Laura! I’ve been hiking and camping for my whole life. I’ve since explored the outdoors all over the United States, including about 20 national parks. You can read more about me and my adventures on my About page.
Hello!
I’m Laura, an everyday adventurer who loves to camp and hike all over the US. My goal is to inspire fellow weekend warriors to take awesome adventures and make trip planning easier so you can spend less time researching destinations and more time experiencing them.
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Sunset Photography Basics
Capturing the perfect sunset photography may not be as simple as going out, pointing your camera, and adjusting the settings in post-processing. The best photos are researched, practiced, and a result of incredible patience. There is some technique involved as well, but that comes with experience. Here are some of the basics to consider, even before going out and shooting photos.
Plan Beforehand
Often you’ll find that photographing a sunset in a location becomes a miniature project. Most will start by researching the location online, through Google Maps and other avenues. Some will then go and scout out the location, and using apps like Windy can help you determine the weather for the area. It might even take multiple visits to the same location to get the perfect exposure for you. Additionally, the Photo Ephemeris app for iOS and PC can help determine the sun’s location at any given time. Whether it is sunrise that you wish to photograph or sunset, getting there early will allow you to select the best vantage point, set up your gear, take a few test shots, and get ready to make the final shot, but also give you the time to savor the moment as well. Many times, photographers are guilty of missing the moment in their bid to take a cool image. You must savor each moment because they are all unique. You must have the time to adjust the exposure, select the right lens and make the right composition. More time means you have that much more luxury to experiment. Ok, the 24-70mm at 24mm isn’t giving the right effect, let’s switch to a wider lens. Or the warming filter is making the image a little too warm for liking, let’s not use it.
How to Gather Inspiration
Some people work better with examples, while others want a visual in their head before they head out to shoot sunsets. Gathering some fuel for your imagination is easy, and there are many avenues in which you can find it, including:
- Check out social media sites like Instagram or Vero to see what others are shooting.
- Go for a walk somewhere where you can see sunsets. You don’t have to bring your camera (although it would be wise to.)
- Rumble and YouTube act as great resources to show you places that are great to visit for sunset photography.
Photographers will often ask how to force inspiration if you’re just not feeling it. The best remedy is to simply take your camera and go out for a walk. You’ll find that something will catch your eye, and you’ll be thankful that you brought your camera along.
When in doubt, go and photograph areas where there is a sunset and water in the shot.
Niches That Benefit From Sunset Photography
Sunset photography is unique in that it can influence other niches positively. The natural beauty of a setting sun is perfect for photography that shows off people and nature. Of course, you can incorporate sunsets into anything you want to, but it just works better in some than others.
Wedding Photography
If you take a quick look at some wedding photographers on social media, you’ll notice that a lot of them take advantage of the natural lighting, much of it from the setting sun. The ethereal feeling of a sunset at twilight adds to the whimsical feeling a wedding day should bring.
These shots are meant to showcase intimacy, and there is nothing quite as sensual as photos of a bride and groom in a sunset scene.
Landscapes
Landscape photographer will always profess their love of torturing themselves by visiting remote locations at odd times of the day. This is the secret to getting incredible landscape photography shots. Find a dramatic subject (i.e., a mountain) and add in some natural lighting (a sunset), and boom, you have a recipe for an incredible shot.
Portrait and Engagement Shots
Sunset photos can have this beautiful mix of orange and pink hues that complement human skin tones so well. This is why a lot of engagement photos are shot when the sun is low, as the soft light mixes with the color temperature from the sunset bringing out the magic in people, so to speak.
Beach sunset pictures provide a unique opportunity for portrait photographers. They can either face into the setting sun for some stunning detail of their subject’s face or shoot behind them for a perfect sunset silhouette.
What Gear Do You Need To Capture Sunset Photos?
Taking sunset photos can be successful with pretty much any camera and lens setup, there is a way to optimize your shots for pin sharpness and perfect compositions. Let’s take a look at some of the gear that will enable you to express your creativity the way you want to.
The Best Types of Cameras
While shooting sunsets can be done with any modern camera (even older film ones too!), the quality of the camera sensor does matter. Sweeping vistas are only as crisp as your camera makes them. Sticking with a full-frame DSLR camera such as Canon EOS 6D Mark II is a good bet for stunning sunset photography. These kinds of cameras have the biggest sensors that can capture the most detail from your shot.
Alternatively, mirrorless cameras such as Nikon Z 5 have made incredible strides in popularity amongst photographers as they produce as good, if not better images than a DSLR with a fraction of the weight and bulk. You can get full-frame mirrorless cameras, but the entry-level ones will have a micro four-thirds sensor, which is cropped and will have a smaller viewpoint.
What Lenses Should You Use?
The “right” lens for sunset photography depends on the subject you’re trying to shoot. For example, if you’re shooting a portrait, you’ll want to stay with a lens that has a 50mm focal range (a 50mm prime lens is even better!) as it offers the best crop and the closest to what our eyes can see.
Landscape photographers will want to stick with a wide-angle lens or ultra-wide angle lens to capture as much of the scene as they can. If you’re looking to compress the subject with the other objects in your frame, then a telephoto lens that’s zoomed in can bring in a lot of detail from a small area.
You can even photograph a sunset at the macro level using your macro lens. A perfect example is to use the light from the sunset to illuminate the sand in a beach shot. You’ll capture all of the warm hues as they complement your close-up shot of the granules of sand. As you can probably tell, the quality of shots you get is only limited by your imagination.
Neutral Density Filters
Neutral Density Filters (ND filters) are transparent pieces of glass that go over your lenses to help reduce the exposure in bright scenes. They are incredible for long exposure photography and work very well in sunset landscapes.
Graduated neutral density filters are designed to be darker at the top and relatively clear at the bottom. This design is meant to help correct the exposure of a bright sky, particularly when the sun is front and center. Graduated NDs, as they are more popularly known, come in soft and hard varieties.
Tripods and Other Accessories
As the light begins to fall under the horizon line, you’ll notice that it’ll get harder to balance the exposure without the use of a tripod. These sturdy three-legged devices can keep your camera still while you line up for the perfect shot.
If you’re interested in shooting during the blue hour after sunset, a remote shutter release is a great tool to reduce camera shake further as you adjust for proper exposure in the fading light.
