Located in Caribou County, Idaho, Caribou–Targhee National Forest is a national forest. It sits roughly 6.3 km (3.9 mi) NNW of Conda.
Caribou–Targhee National Forest is located in the states of Idaho and Wyoming, with a small section in Utah in the United States. The forest is broken into several separate sections and extends over 2.63 million acres (10,600 km2). To the east the forest borders Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and Bridger–Teton National Forest. Most of the forest is a part of the 20-million-acre (81,000 km2) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.From the Wikipedia article “Caribou–Targhee National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Caribou–Targhee National Forest 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 56° ENE | 9:09 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:54 AM | 122° ESE | 4:56 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 02m |
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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:23 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:39 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 23m |
| February | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:27 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 19m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 02m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:37 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 03m |
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 Caribou–Targhee National Forest, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 5:07 AM – 5:57 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:10 AM – 5:00 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:12 AM – 4:02 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:23 PM – 3:23 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:11 PM – 2:01 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:18 PM – 12:08 AM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 10:04 PM | 0.8 | 15° | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.71 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 35% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 35 | 43 | 63 | 74 | 83 | 89 | 96 | 94 | 86 | 78 | 61 | 43 |
| Low °F | -24 | -19 | -14 | -6 | 17 | 22 | 35 | 32 | 22 | 2 | -18 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.8 |
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 national forest
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Caribou–Targhee National Forest, closest first.
Hot Spring
Volcano
Ghost Town
National Wildlife Refuge
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Blackfoot Reservoir Campground7.8 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Cutthroat Trout Campground27 km (17 mi)
- Eight Mile Guard Station28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Johnson Guard Station29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Caribou–Targhee National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Caribou–Targhee National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Caribou–Targhee National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Caribou–Targhee National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Caribou–Targhee National Forest?
How far is Caribou–Targhee National Forest from Conda?
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.