Located in Ravalli County, Montana, Blodgett Canyon is a canyon. It sits roughly 11.2 km (7.0 mi) WNW of Hamilton.
Blodgett Canyon is located in southwestern Montana in the northwestern United States. It is one of more than two dozen scenic canyons deeply carved into the eastern flanks of the Bitterroot Range in Bitterroot National Forest. Starting from a group of peaks at over 8,500 feet (2,600 m) along the Idaho/Montana border, the canyon steeply drops to Blodgett Lake at 6,800 feet (2,100 m). After running northeast for about a mile, it turns due east and descends for a total of about 12 miles (19 km) to the Bitterroot Valley. A trailhead is located at the mouth of the canyon, just west of the community of Hamilton and at an elevation of 4,000 feet (m). The vertical canyon walls in the lower section rise over 2,000 feet (610 m) above Blodgett Creek. Printz Ridge and Mill Point make up the northern wall, while Canyon Peak and Romney Ridge contribute to the southern wall. The upper (western)...From the Wikipedia article “Blodgett Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Blodgett Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:41 AM | 89° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 54° NE | 9:33 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:25 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:18 AM | 124° SE | 4:54 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 36m |
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
Canyons need light from above: rims glow at sunrise and sunset, while deep or narrow sections are brightest near midday when reflected light bounces off the walls.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:43 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 01m |
| February | 7:10 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:21 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:31 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:13 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:39 PM | 14h 59m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:32 AM | 8:45 PM | 9:32 PM | 10:10 PM | 15h 46m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 26m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 11m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:21 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:25 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:36 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:23 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 27m |
| December | 7:39 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:27 PM | 8h 38m |
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 Blodgett Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:53 AM – 6:03 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:55 AM – 4:55 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:49 AM – 3:39 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:16 AM – 2:56 AM | 2.7 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:56 PM – 1:46 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:47 PM – 11:37 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:34 PM – 9:44 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.81 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 32% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 46 | 47 | 65 | 71 | 81 | 90 | 97 | 98 | 89 | 80 | 63 | 41 |
| Low °F | -26 | -36 | -25 | 3 | 14 | 24 | 32 | 32 | 20 | -11 | -14 | -29 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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 canyon
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- Check flash flood forecasts before entering slot or narrow canyons — rain miles away can flood them.
- Dust and sand are hard on gear; change lenses in a bag or with your back to the wind.
- A long lens on a tripod handles the low light inside canyons better than raising ISO.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Wide and telephoto lenses, Lens blower, Weather radio or app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Blodgett Canyon, closest first.
Waterfall
Wilderness Area
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Blodgett Campground4.3 km (2.7 mi)
- Lost Horse Guard Station 22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Lake Como Campground23 km (15 mi)
- Three Frogs Campground23 km (15 mi)
- Woods Cabin24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Blodgett Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Blodgett Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Blodgett Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Blodgett Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Blodgett Canyon?
How far is Blodgett Canyon from Hamilton?
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.