Located in Deer Lodge County, Montana, Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness is a wilderness area. It is part of Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest. It sits roughly 45 km (28 mi) WSW of Anaconda.
The Anaconda–Pintler Wilderness is located in southwestern Montana, in the northwestern United States. It runs for 40 miles (64 km) along both sides of the crest of the Anaconda Range, covering almost 250 square miles (650 km2). To the north are the Sapphire Mountains, and to the south is the Big Hole Valley. Elevations range from about 5,000 feet (1,500 m) up to 10,793 feet (3,290 m) at West Goat Peak. West Pintler Peak, located in a more commonly visited area, rises to 9,894 feet (3,016 m). Visitors can most easily access this area via trailheads at Pintler Lake to the south, and at Lutz Creek and Moose Lake to the north. The wilderness lies in parts of Deer Lodge, Granite, Ravalli, and Beaverhead counties.From the Wikipedia article “Anaconda–Pintler Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:38 AM | 89° E | 7:47 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 54° NE | 9:29 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:22 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:13 AM | 124° SE | 4:52 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 39m |
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 | 7:39 AM | 8:12 AM | 9:00 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 03m |
| February | 7:07 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:20 AM | 5:18 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:27 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:10 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:35 PM | 14h 57m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:05 PM | 15h 43m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:37 PM | 9:22 PM | 9:59 PM | 15h 24m |
| August | 6:02 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 10m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:32 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:19 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 7:35 AM | 8:10 AM | 9:00 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:25 PM | 8h 40m |
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 Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:50 AM – 6:00 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:41 AM – 4:51 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:44 AM – 3:44 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:10 AM – 3:00 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:50 PM – 1:40 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:43 PM – 11:43 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:30 PM – 9:40 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.92 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 36% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 40 | 46 | 61 | 71 | 83 | 88 | 97 | 92 | 87 | 77 | 62 | 41 |
| Low °F | -30 | -31 | -17 | 0 | 13 | 22 | 31 | 30 | 20 | -4 | -21 | -25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.3 |
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 Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Moose Lake Cabin14.6 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- East Fork Cabin20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Mccart Lookout21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness?
How far is Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness from Anaconda?
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.