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44.2949° N112.1542° W1,737 mBortle 1Boise

The Crater Photography Guide

Volcano in Clark County, Idaho · 1,737 m (5,699 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 237°–305°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

The Crater is a volcano in Clark County, Idaho at about 1,737 m (5,699 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 52 km (33 mi) NW of Saint Anthony.

Elevation
1,737 m
5,699 ft
Nearest town
Saint Anthony
52 km (33 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
July
37% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:06 PM
sunset 6:46 PM

Light at The Crater

Live
Sunrise
7:50 AM
Sunset
6:38 PM
Golden hour AM
7:32 AM – 8:30 AM
Golden hour PM
5:58 PM – 6:56 PM
Blue hour AM
7:21 AM – 7:32 AM
Blue hour PM
6:56 PM – 7:07 PM
Full darkness
8:14 PM – 6:15 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
4:06 PM / 1:39 AM
Day length
10h 47m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Boise. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At The Crater the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:33 AM90° E7:41 PM271° W46°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:45 AM55° NE9:17 PM305° NW69°15h 31m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:16 AM89° E7:28 PM271° W46°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)8:02 AM123° ESE4:53 PM237° WSW22°8h 51m

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

Volcanic cones and lava fields have strong shapes that read well in side-light; dark basalt needs careful exposure.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:29 AM8:02 AM8:47 AM4:30 PM5:16 PM5:48 PM9h 14m
February6:59 AM7:29 AM8:10 AM5:17 PM5:58 PM6:28 PM10h 29m
March7:13 AM7:42 AM8:20 AM6:57 PM7:35 PM8:04 PM11h 53m
April6:15 AM6:46 AM7:24 AM7:34 PM8:13 PM8:43 PM13h 27m
May5:29 AM6:03 AM6:44 AM8:07 PM8:49 PM9:23 PM14h 47m
June5:08 AM5:45 AM6:29 AM8:31 PM9:15 PM9:52 PM15h 30m
July5:24 AM5:59 AM6:43 AM8:28 PM9:11 PM9:46 PM15h 12m
August6:01 AM6:33 AM7:13 AM7:55 PM8:35 PM9:07 PM14h 03m
September6:39 AM7:08 AM7:47 AM7:03 PM7:41 PM8:10 PM12h 33m
October7:15 AM7:44 AM8:24 AM6:06 PM6:46 PM7:15 PM11h 02m
November6:54 AM7:25 AM8:09 AM4:19 PM5:03 PM5:34 PM9h 38m
December7:25 AM7:58 AM8:46 AM4:03 PM4:51 PM5:24 PM8h 53m

Local time (America/Boise), 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 The Crater, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-5°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
March5:22 AM – 6:02 AM0.713°SSE → SSE
April3:19 AM – 4:49 AM1.516°SSE → S
May1:25 AM – 3:55 AM2.517°SSE → S
June11:42 PM – 3:12 AM3.517°SSE → SSW
July11:27 PM – 1:57 AM2.517°S → SSW
August10:28 PM – 11:58 PM1.516°S → SSW
September9:21 PM – 9:51 PM0.513°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
DecemberBelow 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 5.5+ 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 37% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F374961728388949187765842
Low °F-28-29-14-317243129180-28-26
Precip. (in)1.31.61.72.22.42.41.21.21.61.61.41.6

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 volcano

  • Long lenses from 20–60 miles away make large stratovolcanoes dominate the horizon.
  • Check local volcanic activity notices and area closures before visiting.
  • Snow-capped volcanoes reflect alpenglow at sunrise — shoot from a lake or meadow for a reflection.
  • Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.

Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of The Crater, closest first.

Volcano
Morgan Crater13 km away · Clark County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph The Crater?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.
What time is golden hour at The Crater?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:06 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:46 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:24 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at The Crater?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 55° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 237°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from The Crater?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at The Crater?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is The Crater from Saint Anthony?
About 52 km (33 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.