Pocatello is a city of about 54,441 people in Bannock County, Idaho, at 1,360 m (4,462 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:50 AM and sets at 6:41 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:02 PM – 6:58 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:59 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 23m |
| February | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:22 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 7:43 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 6:08 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 5:51 AM | 6:34 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 20m |
| July | 6:05 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 02m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:04 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:44 AM | 8:22 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 7:23 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 45m |
| December | 7:55 AM | 8:41 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 02m |
Local time in America/Boise, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Pocatello
At Pocatello the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (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.
Best photo spots near Pocatello
15 photo locations lie within 80 km of Pocatello. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Waterfalls
State Parks
Botanical Gardens
Mountain Peaks
Hot Springs
Ghost Towns
Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Pocatello is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Big Southern Butte, about 75 km (47 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 6.5+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Southern Butte | Mountain Peak | 75 km (47 mi) | 1 |
| Bridge of Tears | Natural Arch | 98 km (61 mi) | 1 |
| Bowl Crater | Volcano | 101 km (63 mi) | 1 |
| Snowdrift Crater | Volcano | 104 km (64 mi) | 1 |
| Echo Crater | Volcano | 104 km (65 mi) | 1 |
| Big Craters | Volcano | 111 km (69 mi) | 1 |
| North Crater | Volcano | 111 km (69 mi) | 1 |
| Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve | Dark Sky Place | 112 km (70 mi) | 1 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | 5:11 AM – 6:01 AM | 0.8 | 15° |
| April | 3:14 AM – 5:04 AM | 1.8 | 18° |
| May | 1:16 AM – 4:06 AM | 2.8 | 18° |
| June | 11:27 PM – 3:27 AM | 4.0 | 18° |
| July | 11:15 PM – 2:05 AM | 2.8 | 18° |
| August | 10:22 PM – 12:12 AM | 1.8 | 18° |
| September | 9:18 PM – 10:08 PM | 0.8 | 15° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.