Canyon Creek — a canyon in Yellowstone County, Montana — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Nez Perce National Historical Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Laurel, about 12.0 km (7.5 mi) away (Canyon Creek lies N of town).
From the National Park Service
At the beginning of September in 1877, the Nez Perce emerged from Yellowstone National Park and were pursued by the 7th U.S. Cavalry under Colonel Samuel Sturgis. On September 13th, both sides surprised each other, the troops charged, trying to cut off the fleeing Nez Perce from the relative safety of the trees in Canyon Creek. The canyon mouth offered natural defenses for the Nez Perce. Positioned high on the slopes and on top of both buttes, Nez Perce warriors kept soldiers pinned down while the women, children, and elders escaped. Getting to Canyon Creek The Canyon Creek Battlefield and Highway Pullout is located on Buffalo Trail Road 8 miles north of Laurel, Montana. Driving to Canyon Creek From I-90 at Laurel, Montana head west on exit 434. Turn north onto S 1st Ave and drive 2 miles to Buffalo Trail Road. Continue onto Buffalo Trail Rd/Laurel North Rd for 6.3 miles. Turn right onto Lipp Rd. The highway pullout will be on the left. Things to Do at Canyon Creek Explore the Site Canyon Creek Battlefield is located on a mix of privately and state owned land. A pullout on Buffalo Trail Road has a pavilion, a stone monument and bronze plaque erected by the Yellowstone Historical Society, and several wayside panels that provide information on the skirmish that took place here in 1877. The battlefield is largely unaltered and visually evokes a strong feeling to its 1877 past, when it consisted of undulating grassy sage-covered ridges and plains; however it is not accessible to the public. Please respect the land owners' property rights and do not venture beyond the roadside pullout.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Canyon Creek 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° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:19 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 54° NE | 9:09 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:54 AM | 124° SE | 4:34 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 40m |
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 | 7:20 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:41 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 4:47 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:12 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 5:04 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 22m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:31 PM | 7:01 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:40 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:06 PM | 8h 42m |
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 Canyon Creek, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:21 AM – 4:31 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:22 AM – 3:22 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:47 PM – 2:37 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:28 PM – 1:28 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:22 PM – 11:22 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:10 PM – 9:20 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.43 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 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 63 | 64 | 77 | 86 | 92 | 101 | 107 | 102 | 99 | 89 | 74 | 59 |
| Low °F | -16 | -14 | -23 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 46 | 40 | 26 | 2 | -12 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
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
- 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.
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Canyon Creek, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Canyon Creek?
What time is golden hour at Canyon Creek?
Where does the sun rise and set at Canyon Creek?
Can you see the Milky Way from Canyon Creek?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Canyon Creek?
How far is Canyon Creek from Laurel?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.