Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve — a dark sky place in Butte County, Idaho — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 56 km (35 mi) E of Bellevue. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Wikidata describes it as: “national monument in the United States”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) 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 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:38 AM | 90° E | 7:47 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 56° NE | 9:19 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:22 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:05 AM | 122° ESE | 5:02 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 57m |
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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:33 AM | 8:05 AM | 8:50 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 19m |
| February | 7:04 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 32m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:25 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:09 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:25 PM | 14h 42m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:34 PM | 9:18 PM | 9:53 PM | 15h 24m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:31 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 06m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:10 PM | 13h 59m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:15 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:28 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 42m |
| December | 7:28 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:48 AM | 4:13 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:32 PM | 8h 58m |
Local time (America/Boise), 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 Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:26 AM – 6:06 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:21 AM – 5:01 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:25 AM – 4:05 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:39 PM – 3:29 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:26 PM – 2:06 AM | 2.7 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:29 PM – 12:09 AM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:24 PM – 10:04 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 ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 34% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 45 | 51 | 63 | 77 | 88 | 96 | 98 | 96 | 92 | 82 | 64 | 45 |
| Low °F | -21 | -14 | -7 | 13 | 20 | 26 | 36 | 35 | 25 | 7 | -27 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.3 |
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 dark sky place
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Use the Milky Way table to find months and hours when the core is above the horizon.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, closest first.
VolcanoVolcanoVolcano
Natural ArchVolcanoVolcanoVolcanoCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve?
What time is golden hour at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve?
Where does the sun rise and set at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve?
Can you see the Milky Way from Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve?
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Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via Wikidata). 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.