Located in Beaverhead County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes Wilderness is a wilderness area. The nearest town is West Yellowstone, about 50 km (31 mi) away (Red Rock Lakes Wilderness lies W of town).
The Red Rock Lakes Wilderness is within the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southwest Montana, United States. The wilderness occupies more than three fourths of the refuge and was set aside to enhance species preservation, especially for such waterfowl as the trumpeter swan. By the mid-1930s, there were an estimated 69 trumpeter swans remaining in the lower 48 states and more than half of them were found in the region that is now the wilderness. The creation of the Wildlife Refuge marks one of the earliest attempts to ensure protection for a fast disappearing species and the wilderness designation enhances this habitat's protection status. U.S. Wilderness Areas do not allow motorized or mechanized vehicles, including bicycles. No roads or buildings are constructed and there is also no logging or mining, in compliance with the 1964 Wilderness Act. Wilderness areas within...From the Wikipedia article “Red Rock Lakes Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Red Rock Lakes 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 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 55° NE | 9:16 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:02 AM | 123° ESE | 4:50 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 49m |
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 | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:47 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:19 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 49m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:15 PM | 9:52 PM | 15h 33m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:09 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:22 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 7:24 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:46 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:22 PM | 8h 50m |
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 Red Rock Lakes Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:21 AM – 6:01 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:25 AM – 3:45 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:43 PM – 3:13 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:28 PM – 1:48 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:27 PM – 11:47 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:19 PM – 9:49 PM | 0.5 | 13° | 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 5.5+ 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 December as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 32 | 33 | 54 | 69 | 79 | 86 | 96 | 94 | 87 | 76 | 58 | 37 |
| Low °F | -30 | -33 | -19 | -7 | 10 | 24 | 32 | 29 | 20 | -2 | -21 | -31 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.4 |
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
- 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 Red Rock Lakes Wilderness, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakMountain Pass
Lake
Fire LookoutMountain Pass
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cliff Point (Mt)24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- West Fork Cabin (S Of Ennis)24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Hilltop Campground (Mt)24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Wade Lake (Mt)25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Steel Creek Group Campground28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Red Rock Lakes Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Red Rock Lakes Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Red Rock Lakes Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Red Rock Lakes Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Red Rock Lakes Wilderness?
How far is Red Rock Lakes Wilderness from West Yellowstone?
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.