Custer–Gallatin National Forest is a national forest in Carbon County, Montana. The nearest town is Lovell, about 40 km (25 mi) away (Custer–Gallatin National Forest lies N of town).
The Custer Gallatin National Forest is located primarily in the south central part of the U.S. state of Montana. It was formed from a merge of the Custer National Forest, located primarily in the south central part of Montana but also with separate sections in northwestern South Dakota, and the Gallatin National Forest, located in South-West Montana, with some of it in North-West Wyoming.From the Wikipedia article “Custer Gallatin National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Custer–Gallatin National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) 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) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 55° NE | 9:05 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:50 AM | 124° ESE | 4:34 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 44m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:36 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 08m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 52m |
| June | 4:49 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 37m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:35 PM | 15h 18m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 33m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:35 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:06 PM | 8h 46m |
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 Custer–Gallatin National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 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 | 5:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:17 AM – 4:37 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:16 AM – 3:26 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:38 PM – 2:48 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:21 PM – 1:31 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 11:27 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:27 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 ≈ 21.9 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 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 64 | 77 | 86 | 92 | 101 | 107 | 102 | 99 | 89 | 74 | 59 |
| Low °F | -16 | -14 | -23 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 46 | 40 | 26 | 2 | -12 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
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
- 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.
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Custer–Gallatin National Forest, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Barry'S Landing & Trail Creek Campground14.4 km (9.0 mi)
- Medicine Creek Campground15.2 km (9.4 mi)
- Sage Creek Campground16.1 km (10.0 mi)
- Sage Creek Cabin16.3 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
- Horseshoe Bend Campground28 km (17 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Custer–Gallatin National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Custer–Gallatin National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Custer–Gallatin National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Custer–Gallatin National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Custer–Gallatin National Forest?
How far is Custer–Gallatin National Forest from Lovell?
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.