Nebraska National Forest — a national forest in Dawes County, Nebraska — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Chadron, about 12.2 km (7.6 mi) away (Nebraska National Forest lies SE of town).
The Nebraska National Forest is a United States national forest located in western Nebraska, with a total area of 141,864 acres (221.7 sq mi; 574.1 km2). The forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service's Nebraska Forests and Grasslands Supervisor's Office in nearby Chadron. The national forest includes two ranger districts, the Bessey Ranger District and the Pine Ridge Ranger District. In descending order of land, the forest lies in parts of Thomas, Dawes, Blaine, and Sioux counties.From the Wikipedia article “Nebraska National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Nebraska 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) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 56° ENE | 8:34 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 122° ESE | 4:21 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 | 6:49 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 23m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 4:39 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:07 PM | 15h 19m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 01m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:27 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:00 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:02 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 03m |
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 Nebraska 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 2 (typical truly dark 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 | 4:33 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:36 AM – 4:26 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:38 AM – 3:28 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:49 PM – 2:49 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:37 PM – 1:27 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 11:34 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 9:30 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.82 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 40% 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 | 65 | 74 | 81 | 89 | 99 | 107 | 109 | 105 | 103 | 89 | 78 | 63 |
| Low °F | -8 | -8 | -7 | 13 | 21 | 37 | 47 | 43 | 33 | 12 | 2 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 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 national forest
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Nebraska National Forest, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Red Cloud (Ne) Nebraska Nf10.0 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
- Roberts Tract (Ne) Nebraska Nf22 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Nebraska National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Nebraska National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Nebraska National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Nebraska National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Nebraska National Forest?
How far is Nebraska National Forest from Chadron?
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.