Located in Gallatin County, Montana, Window Rock is a natural arch at about 2,545 m (8,350 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 26 km (16 mi) S of Bozeman.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Window Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 55° NE | 9:17 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:02 AM | 124° ESE | 4:44 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 42m |
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
Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:28 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:48 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 06m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 54m |
| June | 4:58 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:15 PM | 9:53 PM | 15h 39m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 20m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:21 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:10 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:52 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 7:24 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:47 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:16 PM | 8h 44m |
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 Window Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:29 AM – 4:39 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:29 AM – 3:39 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:52 PM – 2:52 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:35 PM – 1:35 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:30 PM – 11:40 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:19 PM – 9:39 PM | 0.3 | 12° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.78 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 40% 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 | 47 | 62 | 72 | 83 | 88 | 97 | 92 | 86 | 77 | 62 | 44 |
| Low °F | -27 | -31 | -22 | -2 | 8 | 24 | 34 | 31 | 20 | -8 | -30 | -30 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
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 natural arch
- Frame distant features through the opening of the arch for a natural window.
- At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
- Use a wide lens and get close to emphasize the span against the sky.
- Never climb on arches; many are fragile and climbing is prohibited on park lands.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Window Rock, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Natural ArchWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Window Rock Cabin2.0 km (1.2 mi) · reservable
- Chisholm Campground3.0 km (1.9 mi) · reservable
- Hyalite Pavilion3.2 km (2.0 mi) · reservable
- Maxey Cabin3.5 km (2.2 mi) · reservable
- Hood Creek Campground3.6 km (2.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Window Rock?
What time is golden hour at Window Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Window Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Window Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Window Rock?
How far is Window Rock from Bozeman?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.