Located in Park County, Wyoming, Shoshone National Forest is a national forest. It sits roughly 45 km (28 mi) W of Cody.
Shoshone National Forest ( shoh-SHOH-nee) is the first federally protected National Forest in the United States and covers nearly 2,500,000 acres (10,000 km2) in the state of Wyoming. Originally a part of the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve, the forest is managed by the United States Forest Service and was created by an act of Congress and signed into law by U.S. President Benjamin Harrison in 1891. Shoshone National Forest is one of the first nationally protected land areas anywhere. Native Americans have lived in the region for at least 10,000 years, and when the region was first explored by European adventurers, forestlands were occupied by several different tribes. Never heavily settled or exploited, the forest has retained most of its wildness. Shoshone National Forest is a part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, a nearly unbroken expanse of federally protected lands...From the Wikipedia article “Shoshone National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Shoshone National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 55° NE | 9:07 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:52 AM | 123° ESE | 4:42 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 50m |
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 | 7:20 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 31m |
| July | 5:13 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:32 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 13m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:31 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:14 PM | 8h 51m |
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 Shoshone National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:12 AM – 5:52 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:09 AM – 4:39 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:16 AM – 3:36 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:34 PM – 3:04 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:19 PM – 1:39 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:18 PM – 11:38 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:10 PM – 9:40 PM | 0.5 | 13° | 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 ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 44% average cloud cover) and March 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 | 44 | 44 | 62 | 72 | 81 | 88 | 95 | 92 | 88 | 77 | 62 | 44 |
| Low °F | -24 | -23 | -14 | -1 | 7 | 24 | 35 | 32 | 17 | -9 | -18 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
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.
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- 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 Shoshone National Forest, closest first.
Waterfall
Natural ArchNatural ArchWaterfall
National Forest
State Park
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Hot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Wapiti Campground730 m · reservable
- Big Game Campground836 m · reservable
- Clearwater Campground4.2 km (2.6 mi) · reservable
- Rex Hale8.8 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- Newton Creek Campground11.5 km (7.2 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Shoshone National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Shoshone National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Shoshone National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Shoshone National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Shoshone National Forest?
How far is Shoshone National Forest from Cody?
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.