Ardmore is a ghost town in Fall River County, South Dakota. It sits roughly 48 km (30 mi) SSW of Hot Springs.
Ardmore is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Fall River County, South Dakota, United States. The town was founded in 1889 by European-American settlers. The population was 1 at the 2020 census.From the Wikipedia article “Ardmore, South Dakota”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ardmore 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 70° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 56° ENE | 8:38 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 122° ESE | 4:23 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 00m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 22m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:52 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:16 AM | 5:59 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:12 PM | 15h 21m |
| July | 4:56 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:07 PM | 15h 03m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:31 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 44m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:54 PM | 9h 01m |
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 Ardmore, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 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 | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:36 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:40 AM – 4:20 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:42 AM – 3:22 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:54 PM – 2:54 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 1:33 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 11:28 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:34 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 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 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.
- 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
Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ardmore?
What time is golden hour at Ardmore?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ardmore?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ardmore?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ardmore?
How far is Ardmore from Hot Springs?
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.