Bridger–Teton National Forest — a national forest in Teton County, Wyoming — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Rafter J Ranch, about 5.3 km (3.3 mi) away (Bridger–Teton National Forest lies E of town).
Bridger–Teton National Forest is located in western Wyoming, United States. The forest consists of 3.4 million acres (14,000 square kilometers), making it the third largest National Forest outside Alaska. The forest stretches from Yellowstone National Park, along the eastern boundary of Grand Teton National Park and from there rides along the western slope of the Continental Divide to the southern end of the Wind River Range. The forest also extends southward encompassing the Salt River Range and Wyoming Range mountains near the Idaho border.From the Wikipedia article “Bridger–Teton National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bridger–Teton National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) 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 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 56° NE | 9:08 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:53 AM | 122° ESE | 4:50 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 57m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 19m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 32m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 42m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 24m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 06m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:59 PM | 13h 59m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 42m |
| December | 7:17 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:36 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 59m |
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 Bridger–Teton National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:15 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:10 AM – 4:50 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:14 AM – 3:54 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:28 PM – 3:18 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:15 PM – 1:55 AM | 2.7 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:18 PM – 11:58 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:13 PM – 9:53 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.18 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 July as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and December 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 | 33 | 33 | 52 | 69 | 78 | 85 | 92 | 89 | 83 | 74 | 57 | 37 |
| Low °F | -32 | -31 | -23 | -10 | 5 | 22 | 28 | 29 | 18 | -3 | -19 | -27 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.9 |
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.
- 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 Bridger–Teton National Forest, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Rock Formation
Scenic Viewpoint
Hot Spring
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Canyon
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Gros Ventre Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Station Creek Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Trail Creek28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bridger–Teton National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Bridger–Teton National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bridger–Teton National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bridger–Teton National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bridger–Teton National Forest?
How far is Bridger–Teton National Forest from Rafter J Ranch?
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.