Lewis and Clark Caverns is a cave in Jefferson County, Montana. It is part of Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park. It sits roughly 16.9 km (10.5 mi) E of Whitehall.
Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park is a 3,000-acre (1,200 ha) public recreation and nature preservation area located twelve miles (19 km) east of Whitehall in Jefferson County, Montana. The state park includes two visitor centers, ten miles of hiking trails, a campground, and its namesake limestone caverns. The Lewis and Clark Caverns Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.From the Wikipedia article “Lewis and Clark Caverns”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lewis and Clark Caverns 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) | 7:31 AM | 89° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 54° NE | 9:22 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:07 AM | 124° SE | 4:46 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 39m |
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
Caves are lit artificially — show caves have fixed lighting, so a fast lens and high ISO beat flash, which flattens formations.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:32 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:53 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 7:00 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:21 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 4:59 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:34 PM | 9:20 PM | 9:58 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:31 PM | 9:15 PM | 9:52 PM | 15h 23m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:11 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:25 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:13 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 7:29 AM | 8:03 AM | 8:53 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:19 PM | 8h 41m |
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 Lewis and Clark Caverns, 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 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 | 5:34 AM – 5:54 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:34 AM – 4:44 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:35 AM – 3:35 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:00 AM – 2:50 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:41 PM – 1:41 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:35 PM – 11:35 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:23 PM – 9:33 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 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 40% average cloud cover) and March 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 | 42 | 48 | 62 | 72 | 82 | 89 | 98 | 94 | 88 | 79 | 62 | 45 |
| Low °F | -28 | -35 | -21 | -4 | 12 | 24 | 32 | 32 | 21 | -3 | -27 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
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 cave
- Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
- Many show caves restrict tripods on tours; ask in advance or bring a small beanbag.
- Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
- Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
Suggested gear: Fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8), High-ISO camera, Small beanbag. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Lewis and Clark Caverns, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lewis and Clark Caverns?
What time is golden hour at Lewis and Clark Caverns?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lewis and Clark Caverns?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lewis and Clark Caverns?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lewis and Clark Caverns?
How far is Lewis and Clark Caverns from Whitehall?
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.