Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness — a wilderness area in Ravalli County, Montana — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Nez Perce National Forest. The nearest town is Hamilton, about 14.8 km (9.2 mi) away (Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness lies WSW of town).
The Selway–Bitterroot Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the states of Idaho and Montana, in the northwestern United States. At 1.3 million acres (5,300 km²), it is one of the largest designated wilderness areas in the United States (14th overall, but third-largest outside Alaska). The Selway–Bitterroot Wilderness spans the Bitterroot Mountain Range, on the border between Idaho and Montana, and covers parts of Bitterroot National Forest, Clearwater National Forest, Lolo National Forest, and the Nez Perce National Forest. The Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area is immediately to its south, separated from it only by a dirt road (the Magruder Corridor). Together with adjoining public land, the two wilderness areas form a five million-acre (20,000 km²) wild region.From the Wikipedia article “Selway–Bitterroot Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Selway-Bitterroot 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° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:41 AM | 89° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 54° NE | 9:33 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:25 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:18 AM | 124° SE | 4:55 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 37m |
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 | 7:43 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 01m |
| February | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:21 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:31 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:13 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:39 PM | 14h 58m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:32 AM | 8:45 PM | 9:32 PM | 10:10 PM | 15h 46m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:42 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 25m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 11m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:21 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:25 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:36 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:23 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 27m |
| December | 7:40 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:27 PM | 8h 38m |
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 Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 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 2 (typical truly dark 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 | 5:53 AM – 6:03 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:55 AM – 4:55 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:49 AM – 3:39 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:16 AM – 2:56 AM | 2.7 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:56 PM – 1:46 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:47 PM – 11:37 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:34 PM – 9:44 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.87 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 32% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 46 | 47 | 65 | 71 | 81 | 90 | 97 | 98 | 89 | 80 | 63 | 41 |
| Low °F | -26 | -36 | -25 | 3 | 14 | 24 | 32 | 32 | 20 | -11 | -14 | -29 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- 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 Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
Canyon
Scenic Viewpoint
Hot Spring
National ForestWaterfall
Fire Lookout
Fire Lookout
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Blodgett Campground10.1 km (6.3 mi)
- Lost Horse Guard Station 14.5 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
- Three Frogs Campground17.9 km (11.1 mi)
- Woods Cabin18.1 km (11.3 mi) · reservable
- Lake Como Campground18.2 km (11.3 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness?
How far is Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness from Hamilton?
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.