Fossil Butte National Monument is a National Monument in Wyoming. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Fossil Butte the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:49 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:17 PM | 242° | 9h 28m |
| February | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:56 PM | 254° | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:36 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:30 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 284° | 13h 21m |
| May | 6:04 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:37 PM | 297° | 14h 33m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:01 PM | 303° | 15h 12m |
| July | 6:02 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:57 PM | 300° | 14h 56m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 290° | 13h 53m |
| September | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:36 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:43 PM | 259° | 11h 07m |
| November | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:04 PM | 246° | 9h 50m |
| December | 7:44 AM | 8:29 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:54 PM | 239° | 9h 09m |
Computed for the park's reference point (41.8564, -110.7625); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Fossil Butte, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 4:53 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.0 | 16° |
| April | 2:54 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| May | 12:52 AM – 4:02 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| June | 11:11 PM – 3:31 AM | 4.3 | 19° |
| July | 11:01 PM – 2:11 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| August | 10:10 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.0 | 16° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Expect a variety of weather conditions no matter what time of year you visit. Spring, fall and winter can be very cold with snow and icy conditions. In spring, daytime temperatures usually range from 30 F to 65 F. Summer daytime temperatures range from 60 F to 90 F. Fall daytime temperatures range from 45 F to 70 F. Winter daytime temperatures range from -20 F to 30 F.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. 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.
Getting there
By car: Travel 9 miles west of Kemmerer, Wyoming on U.S. Highway 30. There is a highway sign near mile post 44; turn right onto Lincoln County Road 300. The Historic Quarry Trail is approximately 1/2 mile on the right. Continue west on County Road 300 for approximately 1.5 miles to Chicken Creek Road which provides access to the visitor center, scenic drive, Nature Trail and picnic area. Closest airports: Rock Springs, Wyoming (130 miles); Salt Lake City, Utah (150 miles).
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
ID/KS
CA/CO
UT
UT
CA/CO