Sabe Vista Point is a scenic viewpoint in Idaho County, Idaho at about 2,268 m (7,441 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 151 km (94 mi) SSW of Orchard Homes.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sabe Vista Point the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (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) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:51 AM | 54° NE | 8:34 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:28 AM | 89° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 124° SE | 3:59 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 41m |
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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:44 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 05m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:24 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:35 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 4:35 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:53 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 4:13 AM | 4:51 AM | 5:37 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:10 PM | 15h 41m |
| July | 4:29 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 21m |
| August | 5:09 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:22 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 5:49 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:08 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:25 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:43 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:08 PM | 3:57 PM | 4:31 PM | 8h 43m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Sabe Vista Point, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | 4:46 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:46 AM – 3:56 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 12:47 AM – 2:47 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:12 PM – 2:02 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:53 PM – 12:53 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 10:47 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:35 PM – 8:45 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.94 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 34% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 43 | 47 | 63 | 72 | 82 | 89 | 98 | 94 | 89 | 81 | 63 | 42 |
| Low °F | -30 | -32 | -13 | 1 | 17 | 24 | 33 | 29 | 21 | -2 | -20 | -27 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 2.8 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Sabe Vista Point, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Hot Spring
Waterfall
Fire LookoutCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Horse Heaven Cabin3.4 km (2.1 mi) · reservable
- Magruder Rangers House18.9 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
- Wendover Campground20 km (13 mi)
- Paradise Campground28 km (18 mi)
- Mallard Creek Campground29 km (18 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sabe Vista Point?
What time is golden hour at Sabe Vista Point?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sabe Vista Point?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sabe Vista Point?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sabe Vista Point?
How far is Sabe Vista Point from Orchard Homes?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.