Hell Creek Recreational Area is a state park in Valley County, Montana. It sits roughly 156 km (97 mi) NNW of Miles City.
Hell Creek Recreation Area is a public recreation area managed by the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana occupying 337 acres (136 ha) on the south side of Fort Peck Lake twenty miles (32 km) due north of the community of Jordan, Montana. The recreation area sits on the western side of Hell Creek Bay and includes a year-round marina and facilities for water sports, camping, and fishing for walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass. The park is managed under a no-cost lease arrangement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The park has Bortle scale class 1 skies (low light pollution).From the Wikipedia article “Hell Creek Recreation Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hell Creek Recreational Area the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:10 AM | 53° NE | 9:10 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:54 AM | 125° SE | 4:19 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 25m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:42 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:18 PM | 8h 52m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 17m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:54 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 08m |
| June | 4:29 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:58 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 58m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 36m |
| August | 5:30 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 18m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:52 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 19m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:43 AM | 3:24 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:53 PM | 8h 27m |
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 Hell Creek Recreational Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | 5:37 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:42 AM – 4:22 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:41 AM – 3:01 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:12 AM – 2:02 AM | 1.8 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:43 PM – 1:03 AM | 1.3 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:26 PM – 10:56 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 42% average cloud cover) and March 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 60 | 67 | 78 | 90 | 95 | 104 | 111 | 105 | 100 | 90 | 74 | 59 |
| Low °F | -24 | -18 | -27 | 8 | 24 | 36 | 48 | 42 | 30 | 6 | -7 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 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 state park
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Hell Creek Recreational Area, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hell Creek Recreational Area?
What time is golden hour at Hell Creek Recreational Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hell Creek Recreational Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hell Creek Recreational Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hell Creek Recreational Area?
How far is Hell Creek Recreational Area from Miles City?
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.