Burns Basin Overlook is a scenic viewpoint in Pennington County, South Dakota. It lies in or next to Badlands National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Box Elder, about 82 km (51 mi) away (Burns Basin Overlook lies ESE of town).
From the National Park Service
This overlook is named after the homestead of Wilson Burns, who raised sheep in the basin during the early 20th century. A freshwater spring was a rare commodity that kept this operation going. Now wells must be dug a few thousand feet deep.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Burns Basin Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:07 AM | 56° NE | 8:35 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 123° ESE | 4:15 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 54m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:36 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 44m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:09 PM | 15h 26m |
| July | 4:46 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 08m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:27 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:55 PM | 9h 40m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:13 PM | 4:46 PM | 8h 56m |
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 Burns Basin Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:41 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:37 AM – 4:17 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:41 AM – 3:11 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:56 PM – 2:36 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 1:23 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:46 PM – 11:16 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:19 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 67 | 74 | 83 | 92 | 100 | 110 | 114 | 110 | 105 | 92 | 80 | 67 |
| Low °F | -14 | -6 | -7 | 9 | 23 | 39 | 49 | 44 | 32 | 9 | 4 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 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 scenic viewpoint
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Burns Basin Overlook, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Wilderness Area
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Burns Basin Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Burns Basin Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Burns Basin Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Burns Basin Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Burns Basin Overlook?
How far is Burns Basin Overlook from Box Elder?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.