Weeping Wall is a waterfall in Flathead County, Montana. It lies in or next to Glacier National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 52 km (32 mi) NE of Columbia Falls. Its recorded drop is about 10 m (33 ft).
Weeping Wall is a geological formation found along Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, in the U.S. state of Montana. It is a natural waterfall that seeps out from the side of Haystack Butte and the Garden Wall, and is fed by runoff from snowmelt.From the Wikipedia article “Weeping Wall (Montana)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Weeping Wall the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:39 AM | 89° E | 7:48 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 52° NE | 9:42 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:22 AM | 89° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:26 AM | 126° SE | 4:42 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 16m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:48 AM | 8:23 AM | 9:15 AM | 4:15 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:42 PM | 8h 43m |
| February | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:29 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 12m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:31 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:59 PM | 13h 42m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 15m |
| June | 4:50 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:51 PM | 9:40 PM | 10:23 PM | 16h 08m |
| July | 5:08 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:46 PM | 9:34 PM | 10:14 PM | 15h 46m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 23m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:21 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 7:24 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:39 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:19 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 12m |
| December | 7:45 AM | 8:22 AM | 9:17 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:17 PM | 8h 18m |
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 Weeping Wall, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 12° 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 | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 4:25 AM – 4:35 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:22 AM – 3:12 AM | 0.8 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:23 AM – 3:03 AM | 2.7 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:31 AM – 1:11 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 11:01 PM – 11:01 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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 3.5+ 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 39% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 34 | 38 | 46 | 66 | 75 | 83 | 90 | 92 | 86 | 74 | 54 | 37 |
| Low °F | -32 | -39 | -37 | -12 | 15 | 23 | 34 | 32 | 13 | -3 | -27 | -40 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 4.2 |
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 waterfall
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. 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 Weeping Wall, closest first.
Rock Formation
Natural Arch
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
GlacierCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Many Glacier Campground8.6 km (5.3 mi) · reservable
- Avalanche Campground8.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Sprague Creek Campground17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
- St. Mary Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Fish Creek Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Weeping Wall?
What time is golden hour at Weeping Wall?
Where does the sun rise and set at Weeping Wall?
Can you see the Milky Way from Weeping Wall?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Weeping Wall?
How far is Weeping Wall from Columbia Falls?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.