Bush’s Shelter Cave on route to the Historic Entrance — a cave in Custer County, South Dakota — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Jewel Cave National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 19.9 km (12.4 mi) W of Custer.
From the National Park Service
Bush’s Cave Bush’s Cave is a shelter cave found at the monument that does not connect to the Jewel Cave system. The cave is named after Charles Bush, who was a mining partner of Frank and Albert Michaud for a few years until they bought out his portion of the claim for $300 in 1905. After that, the Michaud family sold part of the claim to Bertha Cain from Missouri. Cain never worked the claim but provided a financial investment to allow the Michaud brothers to continue improving the area.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bush’s Shelter Cave on route to the Historic Entrance 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 305° (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) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 56° NE | 8:41 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 123° ESE | 4:22 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 55m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:12 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 43m |
| June | 4:38 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:16 PM | 15h 26m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 08m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:34 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 41m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:53 PM | 8h 57m |
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 Bush’s Shelter Cave on route to the Historic Entrance, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:47 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:43 AM – 4:23 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:47 AM – 3:17 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:02 PM – 2:42 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:49 PM – 1:29 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 11:22 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 9:25 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: 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 5.5+ 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 cave
- 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.
- Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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
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 Bush’s Shelter Cave on route to the Historic Entrance, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Comanche Park11.3 km (7.0 mi) · reservable
- Summit Ridge Lookout Cabin22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Oreville Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Bismark Lake27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bush’s Shelter Cave on route to the Historic Entrance?
What time is golden hour at Bush’s Shelter Cave on route to the Historic Entrance?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bush’s Shelter Cave on route to the Historic Entrance?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bush’s Shelter Cave on route to the Historic Entrance?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bush’s Shelter Cave on route to the Historic Entrance?
How far is Bush’s Shelter Cave on route to the Historic Entrance from Custer?
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.