Located in Custer County, Idaho, Bayhorse is a ghost town. It is part of Land of the Yankee Fork State Park. The nearest town is Challis, about 13.5 km (8.4 mi) away (Bayhorse lies SSW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bayhorse is a ghost town in Custer County, Idaho, United States, founded in 1877, though active development of the town did not begin until 1880. Bayhorse was once a thriving mining town, principally supported by large nearby silver deposit. In 1882, the town increased its smelting capabilities, producing $300,000 ($10 million in 2025) worth of silver over the course of the year. By 1885, the town had grown to 300 residents, supported by a mill, three stores, a hotel, a restaurant, a meat market, a lodging house, and five saloons. The same year, the town built a refinery, allowing the mining industry to issue silver bars and by 1900, the town had extracted over $10 million ($387 million in 2025) in total ores, including silver, lead, and copper. In 1976, the entire community was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The town property was purchased by the state in 2006...From the Wikipedia article “Bayhorse, Idaho”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bayhorse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:41 AM | 90° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 55° NE | 9:26 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:25 AM | 89° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:11 AM | 123° ESE | 5:01 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 50m |
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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:38 AM | 8:11 AM | 8:57 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:19 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:29 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:37 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:32 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:40 PM | 9:24 PM | 10:01 PM | 15h 31m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:37 PM | 9:20 PM | 9:55 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:24 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:32 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 7:34 AM | 8:07 AM | 8:55 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:33 PM | 8h 52m |
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 Bayhorse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:31 AM – 6:11 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:28 AM – 4:58 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:35 AM – 3:55 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:53 PM – 3:23 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:38 PM – 1:58 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:37 PM – 11:57 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:29 PM – 9:59 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.93 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 March as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 36 | 46 | 60 | 71 | 82 | 89 | 95 | 91 | 88 | 79 | 63 | 44 |
| Low °F | -28 | -22 | -12 | -5 | 15 | 22 | 31 | 31 | 20 | -3 | -23 | -25 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.4 |
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 ghost town
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. 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.
Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Bayhorse, closest first.
State Park
Hot SpringHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Holman Creek Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Whiskey Flat Campground25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Custer #1 Campground28 km (17 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bayhorse?
What time is golden hour at Bayhorse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bayhorse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bayhorse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bayhorse?
How far is Bayhorse from Challis?
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.