Tongue River Reservoir State Park — a state park in Big Horn County, Montana — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Sheridan, about 36 km (22 mi) away (Tongue River Reservoir State Park lies NNE of town).
Tongue River Reservoir State Park is a public recreation area located 6 miles north of Decker, Montana, on the western shore of the Tongue River Reservoir. The 12-mile-long reservoir is an impoundment of the Tongue River. The state park, occupying 642 acres at an elevation of 3468 feet, offers boating, fishing, camping, swimming, wildlife viewing, and a seasonal marina.From the Wikipedia article “Tongue River Reservoir State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tongue River Reservoir State Park 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 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:21 AM | 55° NE | 8:59 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 123° ESE | 4:29 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 45m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:04 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 33m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:29 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:00 PM | 8h 47m |
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 Tongue River Reservoir State Park, 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 | 5:11 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:10 AM – 4:30 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:08 AM – 3:18 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:29 PM – 2:39 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:12 PM – 1:22 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 11:20 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 9:20 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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 40% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 67 | 69 | 82 | 88 | 96 | 106 | 110 | 106 | 100 | 92 | 76 | 63 |
| Low °F | -15 | -12 | -18 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 46 | 41 | 28 | 4 | -7 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 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
- 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.
- 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 Tongue River Reservoir State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tongue River Reservoir State Park?
What time is golden hour at Tongue River Reservoir State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tongue River Reservoir State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tongue River Reservoir State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tongue River Reservoir State Park?
How far is Tongue River Reservoir State Park from Sheridan?
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.