Whitefish Lake State Park is a state park in Flathead County, Montana. The nearest town is Whitefish, about 2.8 km (1.7 mi) away (Whitefish Lake State Park lies WNW of town).
Whitefish Lake State Park is a 10-acre (4.0 ha) public recreation area on Whitefish Lake off of U.S. Highway 93, two miles northwest of Whitefish, Montana. It offers boating, swimming, tent and RV camping, and fishing. Sites for hike-in and bike-in camping were added in 2016.From the Wikipedia article “Whitefish Lake State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Whitefish Lake State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (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 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:41 AM | 89° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 52° NE | 9:43 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:25 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:27 AM | 126° SE | 4:46 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 18m |
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 | 7:49 AM | 8:25 AM | 9:16 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:46 PM | 8h 46m |
| February | 7:13 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:30 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 14m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:33 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:14 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:01 PM | 13h 40m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:49 PM | 15h 13m |
| June | 4:54 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:52 PM | 9:41 PM | 10:23 PM | 16h 05m |
| July | 5:13 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:48 PM | 9:36 PM | 10:15 PM | 15h 43m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 21m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:24 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 7:26 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:41 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:21 PM | 10h 52m |
| November | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:11 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 14m |
| December | 7:47 AM | 8:23 AM | 9:18 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:20 PM | 8h 20m |
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 Whitefish Lake State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 4:26 AM – 4:46 AM | 0.3 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:21 AM – 3:21 AM | 1.0 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 1:15 AM – 1:55 AM | 0.7 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 12:28 AM – 1:08 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 11:01 PM – 11:11 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.16 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
- 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.
- 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 Whitefish Lake State Park, closest first.
Canyon
Botanical Garden
Fire Lookout
Fire Lookout
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tally Lake Campground16.0 km (9.9 mi) · reservable
- Big Creek Campground (Flathead National Forest, Mt)25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Star Meadows Guard Station26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Ashley Lake South Campground28 km (17 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Whitefish Lake State Park?
What time is golden hour at Whitefish Lake State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Whitefish Lake State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Whitefish Lake State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Whitefish Lake State Park?
How far is Whitefish Lake State Park from Whitefish?
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.