Tempe Cascade — a waterfall in Teton County, Wyoming at about 2,414 m (7,920 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 44 km (27 mi) SSE of West Yellowstone.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tempe Cascade 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 55° NE | 9:12 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 AM | 123° ESE | 4:48 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 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
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 | 7:24 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:42 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 14m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 30m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:41 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:19 PM | 8h 53m |
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 Tempe Cascade, 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:16 AM – 5:56 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:19 AM – 3:49 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:36 PM – 3:06 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:21 PM – 1:51 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:22 PM – 11:52 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:15 PM – 9:45 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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 July as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 33 | 32 | 51 | 64 | 73 | 80 | 90 | 90 | 82 | 72 | 53 | 33 |
| Low °F | -32 | -34 | -21 | -10 | 6 | 22 | 29 | 28 | 18 | -9 | -23 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
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 waterfall
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Tempe Cascade, closest first.
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Hot SpringWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lewis Lake Campground19.4 km (12.1 mi) · reservable
- Cave Falls Campground22 km (14 mi)
- Headwaters Campground At Flagg Ranch27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Squirrel Meadows Cabin29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tempe Cascade?
What time is golden hour at Tempe Cascade?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tempe Cascade?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tempe Cascade?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tempe Cascade?
How far is Tempe Cascade from West Yellowstone?
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.