Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness — a wilderness area in Park County, Montana — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 55 km (34 mi) W of Red Lodge.
Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness is a 937,102 acres (3,792.32 km2) protected wilderness area on the border of Montana and Wyoming, United States. It was designated by Congress in 1978 and originally comprised 904,500 acres (3,660 km2) in the Custer National Forest and Gallatin National Forest National Forests of Montana. The wilderness area was modified in 1983 through the Lee Metcaff Wilderness and Management Act and in 1984 through the Wyoming Wilderness Act, which added area from the Shoshone National Forest and brought it to its present total.From the Wikipedia article “Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness 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 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 55° NE | 9:11 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:56 AM | 123° ESE | 4:41 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 45m |
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 | 7:23 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:42 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 7:04 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:34 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:55 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:09 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:32 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:02 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:06 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 33m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:41 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:13 PM | 8h 47m |
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 Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:24 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:23 AM – 4:43 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:21 AM – 3:31 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:42 PM – 2:52 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:25 PM – 1:35 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:23 PM – 11:33 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:13 PM – 9:33 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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 5.0+ 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 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 62 | 60 | 74 | 82 | 93 | 99 | 105 | 100 | 95 | 86 | 72 | 57 |
| Low °F | -21 | -16 | -23 | 11 | 15 | 31 | 44 | 38 | 24 | -6 | -18 | -26 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
National Forest
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Mountain PeakWaterfall
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Soda Butte Campground8.6 km (5.3 mi)
- Emerald Lake Campground25 km (16 mi)
- East Rosebud Campground26 km (16 mi)
- Woodbine Campground28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Jimmy Joe Campground30 km (18 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness?
How far is Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness from Red Lodge?
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.