Located in Custer County, South Dakota, Cold Brook Canyon Trail is a canyon. It lies in or next to Wind Cave National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 11.7 km (7.3 mi) N of Hot Springs.
From the National Park Service
This moderately strenuous, 2.8 mile (4.6 km) round-trip, trail winds through Cold Brook Canyon to the park boundary. Along the way, a ponderosa forest gives way to the open prairie and crosses a prairie dog town, a good place to see prairie falcons and other raptors. Hiking Safety Hiking off trail is permitted. Watch out for wildlife.
Bison and other wildlife are dangerous and unpredictable. Do not approach.
Carry and drink plenty of water. There is no drinking water on this trail.
Check the weather forecast before you hike. Bring extra layers.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cold Brook Canyon Trail the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 56° NE | 8:39 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 123° ESE | 4:21 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 56m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 18m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 42m |
| June | 4:37 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 24m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:08 PM | 15h 07m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 42m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:08 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:52 PM | 8h 58m |
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 Cold Brook Canyon Trail, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:46 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:41 AM – 4:21 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:45 AM – 3:25 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:59 PM – 2:49 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:46 PM – 1:26 AM | 2.7 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:49 PM – 11:29 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:24 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.84 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 69 | 79 | 87 | 95 | 106 | 108 | 104 | 101 | 89 | 76 | 64 |
| Low °F | -10 | -12 | -9 | 8 | 20 | 36 | 46 | 40 | 28 | 2 | -2 | -13 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
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
- 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 flash flood forecasts before entering slot or narrow canyons — rain miles away can flood them.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Cold Brook Canyon Trail, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
Fire Lookout
State Park
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Elk Mountain Campground3.4 km (2.1 mi) · reservable
- Cold Brook Campground8.2 km (5.1 mi) · reservable
- Cottonwood Springs Campground12.3 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
- Bismark Lake27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Comanche Park28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cold Brook Canyon Trail?
What time is golden hour at Cold Brook Canyon Trail?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cold Brook Canyon Trail?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cold Brook Canyon Trail?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cold Brook Canyon Trail?
How far is Cold Brook Canyon Trail from Hot Springs?
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.