You're standing on a corner in LoDo or maybe sitting on a bench at City Park. The air gets that specific Colorado crispness. You check your watch. If you're looking for the exact time of sundown in Denver today, January 17, 2026, it is happening at 5:02 PM.
It’s early. Still winter.
But there is something about the way the light hits the Front Range that makes this specific moment more than just a data point on a weather app. Denver doesn’t just do sunsets; it does atmospheric displays. Because we are at 5,280 feet, the light has less "junk" to travel through. This isn't the humid, heavy air of the coast. It’s thin. It’s dry. It makes the colors sharper, almost aggressive in their beauty.
Why Sundown in Denver Today Feels Different Than Yesterday
Honestly, if you've lived here long enough, you know that the actual "time" of sunset is a bit of a lie. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) calculates sunset based on when the trailing edge of the sun disappears below the horizon. But we have a giant wall of rock to our west.
The mountains.
When the sun dips behind the peaks of the Rockies, you lose the direct light much faster than someone standing on the flat plains of Kansas. This is what locals call the "mountain shadow." Even though the official sundown in Denver today is just after 5:00 PM, the shadows will start stretching across the city long before that. By 4:30 PM, the Golden Hour is in full swing, turning the brick buildings of Larimer Square into a deep, burnt orange.
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The Science of the Purple Mountain Majesties
Why is it purple? We’ve all seen it. The "Purple Mountain Majesties" isn't just a catchy lyric from America the Beautiful (which, fun fact, Katharine Lee Bates wrote after being inspired by the view from Pikes Peak, just south of here). It’s Rayleigh scattering.
As the sun gets lower, the light has to pass through more of the Earth's atmosphere. The shorter blue wavelengths scatter away, leaving the longer reds and oranges. When that red light hits the dark, blue-tinted shadows of the mountains, your eyes perceive it as a deep, royal purple. Today, with the current clear sky forecast and low humidity—around 22%—that scattering is going to be incredibly precise. No haze to muddy the colors.
The Best Spots to Catch the View
If you’re trying to maximize the experience of sundown in Denver today, you have to be picky about your elevation. You don't want to be tucked in a valley. You want height.
- The Museum of Nature and Science: This is the "classic" shot. Go to the sky deck. You get the sundial in the foreground, City Park in the middle, the Denver skyline, and then the entire jagged silhouette of the mountains. It’s arguably the best view in the state.
- Red Rocks Amphitheatre: It’s a bit of a drive, maybe 20 minutes west. But watching the sun go down from the top of the stands is spiritual. The red sandstone glows like it’s plugged into an outlet.
- Peak Vista Park: A hidden gem in the Highlands. It’s small. It’s quiet. But the way the sun settles right behind Longs Peak from this vantage point is perfect.
Don't forget the "Belt of Venus." Look east. While everyone is staring west at the orange fire, look behind you. You’ll see a pinkish-blue band rising from the eastern horizon. That’s actually the Earth’s shadow being cast into the atmosphere. It’s subtle, but it’s one of the coolest parts of a high-altitude sunset.
Atmospheric Factors Affecting Today's Sky
Clouds matter. A lot.
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If it’s a perfectly clear sky, the sunset is actually kind of boring. You get a nice orange glow, and then it’s dark. You want those high-altitude cirrus clouds. These are the wispy ones made of ice crystals. They act like a movie screen, catching the red light from below the horizon and reflecting it back down to us.
According to the National Weather Service, we have some light cloud cover moving in from the northwest tonight. This is good news. It means we might get a "second sunset." This happens about 15 to 20 minutes after the official sundown in Denver today. The sun is technically gone, but its rays are hitting those high clouds from underneath, turning the whole sky a neon pink or deep violet.
Does Pollution Make the Sunset Better?
This is a common myth. People say the "brown cloud" or Denver's smog makes the sunsets prettier. Real talk: it doesn't.
Large particles from pollution or dust actually dull the colors. They scatter the light indiscriminately, which leads to a gray or muddy sky. What you actually want is clean air with just the right amount of water vapor. Today’s air quality index (AQI) is sitting at a "Good" level (around 38), which means the colors should be vibrant and "clean."
Preparing for the Temperature Drop
Once the sun goes down in Denver, the party is over for your t-shirt.
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This is the high desert. The moment that solar radiation stops hitting the ground, the temperature craters. It’s not uncommon for the thermometer to drop 10 or 15 degrees within thirty minutes of sunset. If it's 45°F at 4:30 PM, expect it to be in the low 30s by the time you're walking to your car after the colors fade.
Layer up. This isn't advice; it's a survival tactic.
Actionable Tips for Sunset Photography
If you're trying to capture the sundown in Denver today on your phone or a DSLR, stop using the auto mode. The camera gets confused by the high contrast. It tries to brighten the dark mountains, which blows out the beautiful sky into a white mess.
- Underexpose: Tap on the brightest part of the sky on your phone screen and slide the brightness down. It’ll make the colors pop.
- Use a Tripod: As the light fades, your camera shutter stays open longer. Even a tiny hand shake will blur the peaks.
- Wait for the "Blue Hour": Stick around for 20 minutes after the sun is gone. The sky turns a deep, electric blue that looks incredible against the yellow streetlights of the city.
The most important thing? Put the phone down for at least five minutes. The way the light moves across the Flatirons near Boulder or the peaks of Evans (now Mount Blue Sky) changes by the second. You can actually see the shadow of the world climbing up the mountainside.
Final Insights for Tonight
The sun will set at 5:02 PM. The "civil twilight"—which is when there is still enough light to do stuff outside without a flashlight—will last until 5:32 PM.
If you are hiking near the foothills, like at North Table Mountain or Mount Falcon, give yourself an extra 45 minutes of buffer time. It gets dark in the canyons much faster than the official charts suggest.
Next Steps for Your Evening:
- Check the local cloud deck around 4:15 PM; if you see high-altitude "ribbons," head to a high vantage point immediately.
- Dress for a 15-degree temperature swing within the hour.
- Position yourself facing west-southwest to catch the direct descent behind the peaks.