Thunder Butte is a rock formation in Ziebach County, South Dakota. It sits roughly 160 km (100 mi) NW of Pierre.
Thunder Butte (Lakota: Wakíŋyaŋ Pahá) is a prominent butte landmark located in the northwest corner of Ziebach County, South Dakota, in the United States. Thunder Butte is a large, isolated hill that can be seen for many miles in every direction, and has served throughout history as an important orientation point for area residents or a navigational aide for travelers crossing the surrounding plains. The butte gives its name to a small community at its base, and to a small creek that runs into the Moreau River.From the Wikipedia article “Thunder Butte”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Thunder Butte 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) | 6:51 AM | 90° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:00 AM | 55° NE | 8:40 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:35 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 124° ESE | 4:08 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 43m |
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
Rock towers and buttes glow red and orange in the first and last half-hour of sun; midday light flattens their shape.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:11 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 07m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:32 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:43 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 4:44 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 53m |
| June | 4:22 AM | 5:00 AM | 5:45 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:16 PM | 15h 38m |
| July | 4:38 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:59 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:10 PM | 15h 19m |
| August | 5:17 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 07m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:33 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 32m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:17 PM | 4:06 PM | 4:40 PM | 8h 45m |
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 Thunder Butte, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 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 1 (excellent dark-sky 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 | 4:53 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:52 AM – 4:12 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:51 AM – 3:01 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:13 PM – 2:23 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:56 PM – 1:06 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:52 PM – 11:02 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 9:02 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: 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 4.5+ 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 42% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (66%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 57 | 69 | 81 | 90 | 99 | 111 | 113 | 108 | 104 | 93 | 74 | 56 |
| Low °F | -25 | -17 | -20 | 7 | 24 | 36 | 48 | 46 | 32 | 2 | -1 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
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 rock formation
- Use the sunrise and sunset azimuths below to know which face will be lit.
- Stay on trails; desert soils and lichens take decades to recover from footprints.
- Find a spot where the formation sits against open sky to emphasize its silhouette.
- At night, a formation under the Milky Way or star trails makes a strong anchor.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn are best in desert regions; winter snow on red rock is rare but spectacular.
Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Thunder Butte?
What time is golden hour at Thunder Butte?
Where does the sun rise and set at Thunder Butte?
Can you see the Milky Way from Thunder Butte?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Thunder Butte?
How far is Thunder Butte from Pierre?
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.