Located in Blaine County, Idaho, Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness is a wilderness area. It sits roughly 26 km (16 mi) NNW of Sun Valley.
The Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness is a protected area in the western United States, located in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area in central Idaho. Part of the Sawtooth National Forest in Blaine and Custer counties, the 67,998-acre (106.2 sq mi; 275.2 km2) wilderness covers part of the Boulder Mountains and directly adjoins the Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness on its northeast side and is south of the Cecil D. Andrus–White Clouds Wilderness, which it does not directly adjoin. It is named for the Boulder Mountains and writer Ernest Hemingway, who was a resident of nearby Ketchum. The area was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System on August 7, 2015, with the passage of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act (Pub. L. 114–46 (text) (PDF)); sponsored by Representative Mike Simpson, it passed Congress without objection and was...From the Wikipedia article “Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness 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) | 7:42 AM | 90° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:56 AM | 56° NE | 9:25 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:10 AM | 123° ESE | 5:04 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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:38 AM | 8:10 AM | 8:55 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 16m |
| February | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:38 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:29 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:13 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:31 PM | 14h 44m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:39 PM | 9:23 PM | 9:59 PM | 15h 27m |
| July | 5:35 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:19 PM | 9:54 PM | 15h 09m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:24 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:32 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 40m |
| December | 7:33 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:54 AM | 4:14 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:35 PM | 8h 55m |
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 Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness, 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 | 5:31 AM – 6:11 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:27 AM – 5:07 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:32 AM – 4:02 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:48 PM – 3:28 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:34 PM – 2:04 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:36 PM – 12:06 AM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:29 PM – 9:59 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 30% average cloud cover) and December 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 | 45 | 50 | 63 | 75 | 86 | 94 | 98 | 96 | 91 | 82 | 64 | 45 |
| Low °F | -21 | -16 | -8 | 11 | 19 | 26 | 35 | 33 | 24 | 6 | -29 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.9 |
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 wilderness area
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Mountain Pass
Wilderness Area
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Caribou Campground10.9 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Murdock Campground12.8 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Wood River Group Overnight Area (Tent Only)13.0 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
- North Fork (Id)14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Easley Campground15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness?
How far is Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness from Sun Valley?
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.