Strato Rim Overlook Campground is a scenic viewpoint in Pennington County, South Dakota at about 1,330 m (4,364 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 3.7 km (2.3 mi) SW of Colonial Pine Hills.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Strato Rim Overlook Campground 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 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 56° NE | 8:40 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 123° ESE | 4:19 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 53m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:11 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 16m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 4:35 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:55 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 28m |
| July | 4:50 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:10 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:33 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:00 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:09 AM | 3:30 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:50 PM | 8h 55m |
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 Strato Rim Overlook Campground, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:46 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:42 AM – 4:22 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:47 AM – 3:17 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:03 PM – 2:43 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:49 PM – 1:19 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 11:21 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:14 PM | 0.5 | 13° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.16 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 September as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 63 | 69 | 79 | 87 | 95 | 106 | 108 | 104 | 101 | 89 | 76 | 64 |
| Low °F | -10 | -12 | -9 | 8 | 20 | 36 | 46 | 40 | 28 | 2 | -2 | -13 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 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.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Strato Rim Overlook Campground, closest first.
Cave
Waterfall
Cave
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain PeakScenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
Botanical GardenScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sheridan North Cove Grp Cg10.2 km (6.4 mi) · reservable
- Sheridan Lake10.4 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- Grizzly Bear Campground13.0 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- Horsethief Lake Campground14.8 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Willow Creek Horse Camp17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Strato Rim Overlook Campground?
What time is golden hour at Strato Rim Overlook Campground?
Where does the sun rise and set at Strato Rim Overlook Campground?
Can you see the Milky Way from Strato Rim Overlook Campground?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Strato Rim Overlook Campground?
How far is Strato Rim Overlook Campground from Colonial Pine Hills?
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.