Bear Aware (Canyon) is a canyon in Park County, Wyoming. It lies in or next to Yellowstone National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 49 km (31 mi) E of West Yellowstone.
From the National Park Service
Looking to rent some bear spray to carry with you on your adventure around Yellowstone, instead of purchasing a canister? To learn more and rent some bear spray, stop by the kiosk located near the Canyon Visitor Education Center or the Yurt south of the Yellowstone Tribal Heritage Center at Old Faithful. Rentals include safety video/instructions, UDAP Pepper Power bear spray, holster, and belt. For more information call 307-828-1885 , email , or visit their website . 2025 Season Open May 24 - October 4, 2025, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm daily.
Operating dates are subject to change without advanced notice. Please check back frequently for updates. Rates 1 to 2 days: $16.00 3 days: $20.00 4 days: $24.00 5 days: $28.00 +5 days: $28.00 All prices subject to 4% WY sales tax. Rental Drop-off Locations Old Faithful Bear Aware Yurt Mammoth Service Station Tower-Roosevelt Service Station Fishing Bridge Service Station Grant Village Service Station Madison Campground Bozeman, MT Big Sky, MT West Yellowstone, MT Jackson, WY Jackson Hole Airport Teton Village Cooke City, MT Visit Bear Aware for addresses and operating hours Be Prepared to Encounter Bears Carry bear spray and know how to use it. Hike in groups of three or more people. Make noise in areas with limited visibility to avoid surprise encounters. Slowly back away from any bears, do not run, for they have an instinct to chase. Think Safety, Act Safely From burning hot hydrothermal features, to unpredictable wildlife, to steep terrain, Yellowstone is a dangerous place. You are responsible for your safety. As such, please remember these safety tips: Never touch any hydrothermal waters—they can scald you. Observe safe distances from all wildlife. Stay behind fencing, guard rails, and ledges. Use caution when around park waters—they are cold and fast. Show patience and courtesy to other people.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bear Aware (Canyon) the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 55° NE | 9:12 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 AM | 123° ESE | 4:45 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 48m |
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 | 7:24 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 11m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 49m |
| June | 4:59 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 34m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 15m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 35m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:42 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:16 PM | 8h 49m |
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 Bear Aware (Canyon), the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky 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 | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:26 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:24 AM – 4:44 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:22 AM – 3:42 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:41 PM – 3:01 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:25 PM – 1:45 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:24 PM – 11:44 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:15 PM – 9:45 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 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 July as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 33 | 32 | 51 | 64 | 73 | 80 | 90 | 90 | 82 | 72 | 53 | 33 |
| Low °F | -32 | -34 | -21 | -10 | 6 | 22 | 29 | 28 | 18 | -9 | -23 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Bear Aware (Canyon), closest first.
Canyon
Canyon
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Waterfall
Canyon
Waterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tower Fall Campground19.0 km (11.8 mi) · reservable
- Indian Creek Campground (Wy)26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Slough Creek Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bear Aware (Canyon)?
What time is golden hour at Bear Aware (Canyon)?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bear Aware (Canyon)?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bear Aware (Canyon)?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bear Aware (Canyon)?
How far is Bear Aware (Canyon) from West Yellowstone?
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.