Yellowstone National Forest — a national forest in Teton County, Wyoming — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Yellowstone National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is West Yellowstone, about 48 km (30 mi) away (Yellowstone National Forest lies E of town).
Yellowstone National Forest was first established by the United States General Land Office on March 30, 1891, as the Yellowstone Park Timber Land Reserve of 1,239,040 acres (5,014.2 km2). On May 22, 1902, it became the Yellowstone Forest Reserve with lands of 6,580,920 acres (26,632.0 km2).From the Wikipedia article “Yellowstone National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Yellowstone 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) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 55° NE | 9:11 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 AM | 123° ESE | 4:45 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 49m |
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 | 7:24 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:42 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 33m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:41 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:17 PM | 8h 50m |
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 Yellowstone 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 | 5:16 AM – 5:56 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:20 AM – 3:40 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:38 PM – 3:08 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:23 PM – 1:43 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:22 PM – 11:42 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:14 PM – 9:44 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 ≈ 21.94 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 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 33 | 32 | 51 | 64 | 73 | 80 | 90 | 90 | 82 | 72 | 53 | 33 |
| Low °F | -32 | -34 | -21 | -10 | 6 | 22 | 29 | 28 | 18 | -9 | -23 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Yellowstone National Forest, closest first.
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Hot SpringFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Yellowstone National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Yellowstone National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Yellowstone National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Yellowstone National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Yellowstone National Forest?
How far is Yellowstone National Forest from West Yellowstone?
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.