Scoop Lake located in the White Cloud Mountains in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Custer County, Idaho.
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44.0550° N114.6069° WBortle 1Boise

White Clouds Wilderness Photography Guide

Wilderness Area in Custer County, Idaho

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–305°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Leaflet · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Located in Custer County, Idaho, White Clouds Wilderness is a wilderness area. It sits roughly 45 km (28 mi) NNW of Sun Valley.

The Cecil D. Andrus–White Clouds Wilderness is a 90,769-acre (367.33 km2) protected area in the western United States, located in Custer County, Idaho. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area, in the Sawtooth National Forest, manages the majority of the wilderness, with 450 acres (180 ha) managed by the Bureau of Land Management at the wilderness's eastern edge along the East Fork Salmon River. The wilderness encompasses part of the White Cloud Mountains and is north of the Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness and west of the Jim McClure–Jerry Peak Wilderness. The area, originally White Clouds Wilderness, was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System in 2015 on August 7, with the passage of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act. Sponsored by second district representative Mike Simpson, a Republican from Blackfoot, it passed Congress without...From the Wikipedia article “Cecil D. Andrus–White Clouds Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Sun Valley
45 km (28 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
July
34% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:17 PM
sunset 6:56 PM

Light at White Clouds Wilderness

Live
Sunrise
8:00 AM
Sunset
6:48 PM
Golden hour AM
7:42 AM – 8:40 AM
Golden hour PM
6:08 PM – 7:06 PM
Blue hour AM
7:31 AM – 7:42 AM
Blue hour PM
7:06 PM – 7:17 PM
Full darkness
8:24 PM – 6:25 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
4:16 PM / 1:50 AM
Day length
10h 48m
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 White Clouds 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 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:42 AM90° E7:51 PM271° W46°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:56 AM56° NE9:26 PM305° NW69°15h 30m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:26 AM89° E7:38 PM271° W46°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)8:11 AM123° ESE5:04 PM238° WSW23°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

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:39 AM8:11 AM8:56 AM4:41 PM5:26 PM5:58 PM9h 15m
February7:09 AM7:39 AM8:19 AM5:28 PM6:08 PM6:38 PM10h 30m
March7:23 AM7:52 AM8:30 AM7:07 PM7:45 PM8:14 PM11h 53m
April6:26 AM6:56 AM7:34 AM7:44 PM8:22 PM8:53 PM13h 27m
May5:40 AM6:13 AM6:55 AM8:17 PM8:58 PM9:32 PM14h 45m
June5:19 AM5:56 AM6:40 AM8:40 PM9:24 PM10:00 PM15h 28m
July5:35 AM6:10 AM6:53 AM8:37 PM9:20 PM9:55 PM15h 10m
August6:12 AM6:43 AM7:23 AM8:05 PM8:45 PM9:16 PM14h 02m
September6:49 AM7:18 AM7:56 AM7:13 PM7:51 PM8:20 PM12h 32m
October7:25 AM7:54 AM8:33 AM6:17 PM6:56 PM7:25 PM11h 02m
November7:03 AM7:34 AM8:18 AM4:30 PM5:13 PM5:45 PM9h 39m
December7:34 AM8:07 AM8:55 AM4:14 PM5:02 PM5:35 PM8h 54m

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 White Clouds 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
March5:31 AM – 6:11 AM0.714°SSE → SSE
April3:27 AM – 5:07 AM1.716°SSE → S
May1:32 AM – 4:02 AM2.517°SSE → S
June11:48 PM – 3:28 AM3.717°SSE → SSW
July11:34 PM – 2:04 AM2.517°S → SSW
August10:36 PM – 12:06 AM1.516°S → SSW
September9:29 PM – 9:59 PM0.513°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
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 ≈ 21.91 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 34% average cloud cover) and March 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 °F364660718289959188796344
Low °F-28-22-12-51522313120-3-23-25
Precip. (in)1.91.82.01.81.91.70.70.71.21.41.82.4

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 wilderness area

  • 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.
  • Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
  • Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
  • Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

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 White Clouds Wilderness, closest first.

Castle PeakMountain Peak
Castle Peak2.5 km away · Custer County · 3,601 m
Blackmon PeakMountain Peak
Blackmon Peak3.7 km away · Custer County · 3,140 m
D. O. Lee PeakMountain Peak
D. O. Lee Peak5.6 km away · Custer County · 3,454 m
Watson PeakMountain Peak
Watson Peak11 km away · Custer County · 3,176 m
Hot Spring
Slate Creek Hot Spring13 km away · Custer County
Hot Spring
Hot Springs17 km away · Custer County
Glassford PeakMountain Peak
Glassford Peak19 km away · Custer County · 3,522 m
Hemingway–Boulders WildernessWilderness Area
Hemingway–Boulders Wilderness19 km away · Blaine County
Central Idaho Dark Sky ReserveDark Sky Place
Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve19 km away · Custer County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph White Clouds Wilderness?
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. Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at White Clouds Wilderness?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:17 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:56 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:33 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at White Clouds Wilderness?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from White Clouds Wilderness?
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 White Clouds Wilderness?
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 White Clouds Wilderness from Sun Valley?
About 45 km (28 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.