Wayfarers State Park is a state park in Flathead County, Montana. The nearest town is Bigfork, about 1.0 km (0.6 mi) away (Wayfarers State Park lies SSW of town).
Wayfarers State Park is a 67-acre (27 ha) public recreation area overlooking Flathead Lake, one-half mile south of Bigfork, Montana. The state park hosts the annual Northern Rockies Paddlefest, which in 2013 attracted over 200 participants.From the Wikipedia article “Wayfarers State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wayfarers State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:40 AM | 89° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 53° NE | 9:40 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:24 AM | 89° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:24 AM | 126° SE | 4:46 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 22m |
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 | 7:47 AM | 8:22 AM | 9:13 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:46 PM | 8h 48m |
| February | 7:12 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:28 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:31 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:13 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:59 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:09 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:50 PM | 9:39 PM | 10:20 PM | 16h 02m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:46 PM | 9:33 PM | 10:12 PM | 15h 40m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:25 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:39 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:21 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:12 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 7:44 AM | 8:21 AM | 9:14 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 24m |
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 Wayfarers State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. June gives the longest window (about 1.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 4:12 AM – 4:42 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:14 AM – 3:24 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:53 AM – 2:13 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 12:19 AM – 1:19 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:57 PM – 11:17 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.53 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 December as the cloudiest (81%). 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 | 43 | 47 | 65 | 73 | 82 | 96 | 98 | 99 | 90 | 78 | 57 | 40 |
| Low °F | -32 | -38 | -29 | -7 | 20 | 24 | 35 | 35 | 22 | 2 | -29 | -31 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 3.0 |
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
- 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 Wayfarers State Park, closest first.
State Park
Lake
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State ParkState Park
Botanical Garden
Canyon
GlacierCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Swan Lake Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Mission Lookout23 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Swan Guard Station24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Anna Creek Cabin25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Lid Creek Campground28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wayfarers State Park?
What time is golden hour at Wayfarers State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wayfarers State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wayfarers State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wayfarers State Park?
How far is Wayfarers State Park from Bigfork?
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.