Silas Canyon is a canyon in Fremont County, Wyoming. It sits roughly 29 km (18 mi) SW of Lander.
Silas Canyon is a canyon in the Wind River mountain range near Lander, Wyoming in the United States. The canyon is a long glacial-carved trough with numerous lakes, which makes it a popular destination for backpackers and fishermen. The 33-acre (13 ha) Thumb Lake sits at its head. Plant life Silas Canyon and the surrounding area is home the various plant species common in the Southern Wind River Mountains. Whitebark pine and Lodgepole pine are the predominant tree species.From the Wikipedia article “Silas Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Silas Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 57° ENE | 8:58 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 122° ESE | 4:46 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 03m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 24m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 37m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 18m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:34 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:26 PM | 15h 01m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:26 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 04m |
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 Silas Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:57 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:00 AM – 4:50 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:02 AM – 3:52 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:13 PM – 3:13 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 1:51 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:08 PM – 11:58 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:54 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 38% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 53 | 55 | 66 | 76 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 94 | 90 | 77 | 63 | 48 |
| Low °F | -19 | -19 | -7 | -1 | 15 | 26 | 37 | 35 | 19 | -3 | -10 | -13 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 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
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Silas Canyon, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
State Park
Ghost Town
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Worthen Meadow Campground7.7 km (4.8 mi)
- Sweetwater Guard Station Campground11.4 km (7.1 mi)
- Sweetwater Bridge Campground14.6 km (9.1 mi)
- Blucher Creek Campground16.7 km (10.4 mi)
- Atlantic City Campground24 km (15 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Silas Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Silas Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Silas Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Silas Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Silas Canyon?
How far is Silas Canyon from Lander?
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.