Painted Canyon Overlook — a scenic viewpoint in Billings County, North Dakota at about 843 m (2,766 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 13.7 km (8.5 mi) W of Belfield.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Painted Canyon Overlook 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 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:00 AM | 53° NE | 8:53 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 125° SE | 4:08 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 31m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:24 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:06 PM | 8h 57m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 19m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:35 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 35m |
| May | 4:43 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:58 PM | 15h 03m |
| June | 4:20 AM | 4:59 AM | 5:46 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 51m |
| July | 4:37 AM | 5:15 AM | 6:01 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 31m |
| August | 5:18 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 14m |
| September | 6:01 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 56m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:44 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:54 PM | 9h 23m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:25 AM | 3:14 PM | 4:06 PM | 4:41 PM | 8h 33m |
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 Painted Canyon Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.2 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:22 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:15 AM – 4:05 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:22 AM – 2:52 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:47 PM – 1:57 AM | 2.2 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:22 PM – 12:52 AM | 1.5 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:08 PM – 10:48 PM | 0.7 | 13° | 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: 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 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 41% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 59 | 67 | 80 | 88 | 96 | 107 | 109 | 106 | 99 | 92 | 74 | 60 |
| Low °F | -20 | -17 | -15 | 3 | 22 | 34 | 47 | 42 | 29 | 3 | -6 | -22 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
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
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Painted Canyon Overlook, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cottonwood Group Site (Nd)13.0 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Cottonwood Campground (Nd)13.1 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Roundup Group Horse Camp15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Buffalo Gap Campground (Nd)23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Painted Canyon Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Painted Canyon Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Painted Canyon Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Painted Canyon Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Painted Canyon Overlook?
How far is Painted Canyon Overlook from Belfield?
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.