Located in Cascade County, Montana, Sluice Boxes State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 42 km (26 mi) SSE of Malmstrom Air Force Base.
Sluice Boxes State Park is a public recreation area in the Little Belt Mountains of Montana, United States, located twelve miles (19 km) south of Belt on the Kings Hill Scenic Byway. The state park is highlighted by large cliffs and ledges where the northernmost eight miles of the Belt Creek canyon winds out of the Little Belt Mountains. Remains of the area's mining and railroading days are found throughout the canyon. The park offers fishing, hiking, floating, picnicking, and backcountry camping.From the Wikipedia article “Sluice Boxes State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sluice Boxes 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 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) | 7:28 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:29 AM | 53° NE | 9:24 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:08 AM | 125° SE | 4:37 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 29m |
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 | 7:32 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:56 AM | 4:12 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 8h 55m |
| February | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 19m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 36m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:33 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 05m |
| June | 4:48 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:34 PM | 9:22 PM | 10:02 PM | 15h 54m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:31 PM | 9:17 PM | 9:55 PM | 15h 33m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 15m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:09 PM | 10h 55m |
| November | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 22m |
| December | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 8:56 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:11 PM | 8h 31m |
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 Sluice Boxes State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.0 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 2 (typical truly dark 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 | 5:52 AM – 5:52 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:47 AM – 4:37 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:55 AM – 3:25 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:22 AM – 2:22 AM | 2.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:56 PM – 1:16 AM | 1.3 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:40 PM – 11:20 PM | 0.7 | 12° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.89 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 38% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (71%). July is the warmest month and February 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 | 56 | 61 | 75 | 84 | 90 | 98 | 102 | 99 | 92 | 86 | 69 | 56 |
| Low °F | -30 | -27 | -31 | 7 | 20 | 34 | 42 | 38 | 19 | 4 | -12 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Sluice Boxes State Park, closest first.
Natural Arch
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sluice Boxes State Park?
What time is golden hour at Sluice Boxes State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sluice Boxes State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sluice Boxes State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sluice Boxes State Park?
How far is Sluice Boxes State Park from Malmstrom Air Force Base?
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.