Was the moon below the horizon when you were there? That is the best time to go for viewing the milky way, however astronomy photos will always be able to see more than the naked eye with long exposures and editing.
You won't see it the same as in pictures by the naked eye
It can be seen but it's all about timing. Check out this information https://darksitefinder.com/how-to-see-the-milky-way/
You also cant see all those colors with the naked eye. You can see them more in pictures.
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