Located in Beaverhead County, Montana, Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest is a national forest. It sits roughly 44 km (28 mi) NNW of Dillon.
The Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest is the largest of the National Forests in Montana, United States. Covering 3.36 million acres (13,600 km2), the forest is broken into nine separate sections and stretches across eight counties in the southwestern area of the state. President Theodore Roosevelt named the two forests in 1908 and they were merged in 1996. Forest headquarters are located in Dillon, Montana. In Roosevelt's original legislation, the Deerlodge National Forest was called the Big Hole Forest Reserve. He created this reserve because the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, based in Butte, Montana, had begun to clearcut the upper Big Hole River watershed. The subsequent erosion, exacerbated by smoke pollution from the Anaconda smelter, was devastating the region. Ranchers and conservationists alike complained to Roosevelt, who made several trips to the area. (Munday 2001)From the Wikipedia article “Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:35 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 54° NE | 9:25 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:09 AM | 124° SE | 4:51 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 41m |
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 | 7:35 AM | 8:08 AM | 8:56 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 05m |
| February | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:07 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:37 PM | 9:23 PM | 10:01 PM | 15h 41m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:34 PM | 9:18 PM | 9:55 PM | 15h 21m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:29 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:17 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 7:31 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:55 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:23 PM | 8h 43m |
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 Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:36 AM – 5:56 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:36 AM – 4:46 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:36 AM – 3:46 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:59 PM – 2:59 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:42 PM – 1:42 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:37 PM – 11:47 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:26 PM – 9:46 PM | 0.3 | 12° | 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 ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 36% average cloud cover) and March 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.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 44 | 51 | 64 | 75 | 86 | 92 | 98 | 93 | 89 | 77 | 64 | 44 |
| Low °F | -31 | -24 | -22 | 4 | 17 | 25 | 33 | 31 | 19 | -1 | -25 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
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 national forest
- 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.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest, closest first.
Hot Spring
Mountain Pass
Rock FormationMountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Canyon Creek Cabin11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Divide Bridge Campground17.0 km (10.6 mi)
- Birch Creek Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Price Creek Campground (Mt)27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Lupine Shelter27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest?
How far is Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest from Dillon?
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.