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44.4558° N109.7980° W2,062 mBortle 1Denver

Window Rock Photography Guide

Natural Arch in Park County, Wyoming · 2,062 m (6,765 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 237°–305°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Located in Park County, Wyoming, Window Rock is a natural arch at about 2,062 m (6,765 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 59 km (37 mi) W of Cody.

Elevation
2,062 m
6,765 ft
Nearest town
Cody
59 km (37 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
July
44% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:57 PM
sunset 6:36 PM

Light at Window Rock

Live
Sunrise
7:41 AM
Sunset
6:28 PM
Golden hour AM
7:23 AM – 8:21 AM
Golden hour PM
5:48 PM – 6:46 PM
Blue hour AM
7:12 AM – 7:23 AM
Blue hour PM
6:46 PM – 6:58 PM
Full darkness
8:05 PM – 6:05 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:57 PM / 1:28 AM
Day length
10h 47m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Window Rock 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:23 AM90° E7:32 PM271° W45°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:35 AM55° NE9:08 PM305° NW69°15h 33m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:07 AM89° E7:18 PM271° W46°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:53 AM123° ESE4:43 PM237° WSW22°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

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:20 AM7:53 AM8:39 AM4:20 PM5:06 PM5:38 PM9h 13m
February6:50 AM7:20 AM8:01 AM5:07 PM5:48 PM6:18 PM10h 28m
March7:03 AM7:32 AM8:11 AM6:47 PM7:25 PM7:54 PM11h 53m
April6:06 AM6:36 AM7:15 AM7:25 PM8:04 PM8:34 PM13h 28m
May5:19 AM5:53 AM6:35 AM7:58 PM8:40 PM9:14 PM14h 48m
June4:58 AM5:35 AM6:19 AM8:22 PM9:06 PM9:43 PM15h 31m
July5:14 AM5:49 AM6:33 AM8:19 PM9:02 PM9:38 PM15h 13m
August5:51 AM6:23 AM7:03 AM7:46 PM8:26 PM8:58 PM14h 03m
September6:30 AM6:59 AM7:37 AM6:53 PM7:32 PM8:01 PM12h 33m
October7:06 AM7:35 AM8:14 AM5:57 PM6:36 PM7:06 PM11h 02m
November6:45 AM7:16 AM8:00 AM4:09 PM4:53 PM5:25 PM9h 37m
December7:16 AM7:50 AM8:37 AM3:53 PM4:41 PM5:14 PM8h 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 Window Rock, 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
March5:13 AM – 5:53 AM0.713°SSE → SSE
April3:10 AM – 4:40 AM1.516°SSE → S
May1:17 AM – 3:37 AM2.317°SSE → S
June11:35 PM – 3:05 AM3.517°SSE → SSW
July11:20 PM – 1:40 AM2.317°S → SSW
August10:19 PM – 11:39 PM1.316°SSW → SSW
September9:11 PM – 9:41 PM0.513°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—7°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
DecemberBelow 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 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F444462728188959288776244
Low °F-24-23-14-1724353217-9-18-32
Precip. (in)1.31.61.72.33.02.21.31.31.71.81.61.4

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 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.

Natural Arch
Blackwater Natural Bridge10 km away · Park County
National Forest
Washakie National Forest13 km away · Park County
Shoshone National ForestNational Forest
Shoshone National Forest15 km away · Park County
Waterfall
Sweetwater Creek Falls16 km away · Park County · 2,541 m
Waterfall
Big Creek Falls21 km away · Park County · 2,973 m
Eagle PeakMountain Peak
Eagle Peak24 km away · Park County · 3,460 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Window Rock?
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 offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
What time is golden hour at Window Rock?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:57 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:36 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:14 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Window Rock?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 55° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 237°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Window Rock?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Window Rock?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Window Rock from Cody?
About 59 km (37 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.