Yellowstone National Park Photography Guide: Best Spots, Light & Seasons

Yellowstone National Park is a National Park in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 270 photo locations inside or next to the park.

Photo spots

270

matched locations

Sky darkness

Bortle 1

Excellent dark-sky site

Clearest month

July

39% cloud

Milky Way peak

June

Mar–Sep

Nearest town

West Yellowstone

45 km (28 mi)

Best photo spots in Yellowstone

We matched 270 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Yellowstone. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.

Sunrise, sunset & golden hour

At Yellowstone 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.

June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Month (15th)	Sunrise	Golden hour ends	Golden hour starts	Sunset	Sunset az.	Daylight
January	7:56 AM	8:42 AM	4:22 PM	5:08 PM	241°	9h 12m
February	7:23 AM	8:04 AM	5:10 PM	5:51 PM	253°	10h 28m
March	7:35 AM	8:14 AM	6:50 PM	7:28 PM	268°	11h 53m
April	6:39 AM	7:18 AM	7:28 PM	8:07 PM	285°	13h 28m
May	5:55 AM	6:37 AM	8:02 PM	8:44 PM	298°	14h 48m
June	5:37 AM	6:22 AM	8:25 PM	9:10 PM	305°	15h 33m
July	5:52 AM	6:35 AM	8:22 PM	9:06 PM	302°	15h 14m
August	6:26 AM	7:06 AM	7:49 PM	8:30 PM	291°	14h 04m
September	7:02 AM	7:40 AM	6:56 PM	7:35 PM	275°	12h 33m
October	7:38 AM	8:18 AM	5:59 PM	6:39 PM	259°	11h 01m
November	7:20 AM	8:04 AM	4:12 PM	4:56 PM	245°	9h 36m
December	7:53 AM	8:41 AM	3:55 PM	4:43 PM	237°	8h 50m

Computed for the park's reference point (44.5982, -110.5472); large parks span several minutes of difference.

Milky Way & dark skies

From Yellowstone, 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
January	Not visible in darkness	—	—
February	Not visible in darkness	—	—
March	5:16 AM – 5:56 AM	0.7	13°
April	3:13 AM – 4:43 AM	1.5	16°
May	1:20 AM – 3:40 AM	2.3	17°
June	11:38 PM – 3:08 AM	3.5	17°
July	11:23 PM – 1:43 AM	2.3	17°
August	10:22 PM – 11:42 PM	1.3	16°
September	9:14 PM – 9:44 PM	0.5	13°
October	Not visible in darkness	—	—
November	Not visible in darkness	—	—
December	Not visible in darkness	—	—

1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.

Weather & best time to visit

Yellowstone's weather can vary quite a bit, even in a single day. In the summer, daytime highs can exceed 70°F (21°C), only to drop 20 or more degrees when a thunderstorm rolls through. It can snow during any month of the year, and winter lows frequently drop below 0°F (-18°C), especially at night. Bring a range of clothing options, including a warm jacket and rain gear, even in the summer.

Weather overview: National Park Service.

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 (%)

75%

77%

73%

58%

39%

43%

48%

64%

73%

77%

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Average high (°F)

33°

32°

51°

64°

73°

80°

90°

82°

72°

53°

33°

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

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.

Entrance fee	Cost (USD)
Entrance - Private Vehicle	$35.00
Entrance - Non-commercial Groups	$20.00
Entrance - Motorcycle	$30.00
Entrance - Snowmobile	$30.00

Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.

Getting there

Yellowstone National Park covers nearly 3,500 square miles in the northwest corner of Wyoming (3% of the park is in Montana and 1% is in Idaho). Yellowstone has five entrance stations, and several are closed to regular vehicles during winter. It takes many hours to drive between these entrances, so be sure to check the status of roads at the entrance you intend to use while planning your trip and before you arrive.

Directions: National Park Service.

Activities

Arts and Culture
Auto and ATV
Scenic Driving
Astronomy
Biking
Mountain Biking
Road Biking
Boating
Boat Tour
Camping
Backcountry Camping
Canoe or Kayak Camping
Car or Front Country Camping
Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
Group Camping
RV Camping
Fishing
Freshwater Fishing
Fly Fishing
Food
Dining
Picnicking
Guided Tours
Self-Guided Tours - Walking

Nearby parks

Grand Teton National Park88 km away · National Park

MT/WY

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area198 km away · National Recreation Area

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Yellowstone National Park?

July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn usually bring softer light and fewer crowds; check the monthly table for sunrise and sunset times.

Do you need a photography permit in Yellowstone?

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.

Can you fly a drone in Yellowstone?

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.

Can you see the Milky Way in Yellowstone?

Yes — from March to September, best in June. Estimated sky: Bortle 1.

What time is sunset in Yellowstone?

On the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:39 PM local time; see the live widget for today.

Yellowstone National Park Photography Guide

Light at Yellowstone

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

Best photo spots in Yellowstone

Scenic Viewpoints (4)

Waterfalls (21)

Natural Arches (1)

Mountain Peaks (32)

Lakes (7)

Canyons (5)

Hot Springs (190)

Rock Formations (1)

Mountain Passes (3)

Volcanoes (3)

Fire Lookouts (2)

National Forests (1)

Sunrise, sunset & golden hour

Milky Way & dark skies

Weather & best time to visit

Average cloud cover (%)

Average high (°F)

Photography permits, drones & fees

Getting there

Activities

Nearby parks

FAQ