Located in Dawson County, Montana, Makoshika State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Glendive, about 5.0 km (3.1 mi) away (Makoshika State Park lies SSE of town).
Makoshika State Park ("ma-KO-sh(ih)kuh" from the Lakota Mako sica, meaning 'bad land' or 'land that is bad') is a nature preserve and public recreation area located on the southeast side of Glendive in Dawson County, Montana. The state park encompasses badlands containing dinosaur fossils and rock from the Hell Creek Formation. It is the largest of Montana's state parks at more than 11,000 acres (45 km2).From the Wikipedia article “Makoshika State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Makoshika State Park 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 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:04 AM | 53° NE | 8:58 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 125° SE | 4:13 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 30m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:11 PM | 8h 56m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 19m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:39 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 36m |
| May | 4:48 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 04m |
| June | 4:24 AM | 5:04 AM | 5:51 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 53m |
| July | 4:41 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:05 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 32m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 15m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:44 PM | 10h 56m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 22m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:46 PM | 8h 32m |
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 Makoshika State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.2 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:27 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:20 AM – 4:10 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:27 AM – 2:57 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:52 PM – 2:02 AM | 2.2 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:27 PM – 12:57 AM | 1.5 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:13 PM – 10:53 PM | 0.7 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.23 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 December as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 66 | 80 | 89 | 94 | 106 | 109 | 108 | 100 | 89 | 72 | 57 |
| Low °F | -25 | -24 | -19 | 3 | 23 | 37 | 48 | 42 | 27 | 6 | -8 | -25 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 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
- 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.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Makoshika State Park, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Makoshika State Park?
What time is golden hour at Makoshika State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Makoshika State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Makoshika State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Makoshika State Park?
How far is Makoshika State Park from Glendive?
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.