Located in Monroe County, Indiana, Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area is a wilderness area. It sits roughly 13.7 km (8.5 mi) E of Smithville-Sanders.
The Charles C. Deam Wilderness is located close to the city of Heltonville and Bloomington, Indiana. Lake Monroe, Indiana's largest reservoir, forms the northern boundary. It was established as wilderness in 1982 and is managed by the Hoosier National Forest. It covers 12,472 acres (19.49 mi2 or 50.47 km2). It was named in honor of Indiana's first State Forester Charles C. Deam.From the Wikipedia article “Charles C. Deam Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:50 AM | 90° E | 7:58 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:21 AM | 59° ENE | 9:15 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:34 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:02 AM | 120° ESE | 5:27 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 25m |
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 | 7:34 AM | 8:04 AM | 8:44 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:17 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:50 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 7:31 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:33 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:19 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:34 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:46 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:43 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:11 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:03 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:29 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:32 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 7:28 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:40 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 27m |
Local time (America/Indiana/Indianapolis), 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 Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:52 AM – 6:02 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 5:01 AM – 6:21 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:57 AM – 5:27 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:59 AM – 4:39 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 11:12 PM – 4:12 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:05 PM – 2:55 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:21 PM – 12:51 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:26 PM – 10:46 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:37 PM – 8:47 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.14 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 65 | 72 | 81 | 82 | 88 | 105 | 105 | 100 | 99 | 92 | 78 | 69 |
| Low °F | -18 | -11 | 4 | 23 | 28 | 39 | 47 | 48 | 36 | 25 | 10 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 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 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.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- 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 Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area, closest first.
Fire Lookout
State Park
Mountain Peak
Covered Bridge
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Lake
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Blackwell Campground 3.8 km (2.4 mi) · reservable
- Hardin Ridge7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Hickory Ridge Campground8.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area?
What time is golden hour at Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area?
How far is Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area from Smithville-Sanders?
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.