Located in Pennington County, South Dakota, Badlands Wilderness is a wilderness area. It lies in or next to Badlands National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Box Elder, about 65 km (40 mi) away (Badlands Wilderness lies ESE of town).
Badlands National Park (Lakota: Makȟóšiča) is a national park of the United States in southwestern South Dakota. The park protects 242,756 acres (379.3 sq mi; 982.4 km2) of sharply eroded buttes and pinnacles, along with the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the United States. The National Park Service manages the park, with the South Unit being co-managed with the Oglala Lakota tribe. Located within the White River drainage, the Badlands Wilderness protects 64,144 acres (100.2 sq mi; 259.6 km2) of the park's North Unit as a designated wilderness area, and is one site where the black-footed ferret, one of the most endangered mammals in the world, was reintroduced to the wild. The South Unit, or Stronghold District, includes sites of 1890s Ghost Dances, a former United States Air Force bomb and gunnery range, and Red Shirt Table, the park's highest point at 3,340 feet (1,020 m).From the Wikipedia article “Badlands National Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Badlands Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 90° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 56° NE | 8:36 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:37 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 123° ESE | 4:15 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 54m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:37 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 44m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:10 PM | 15h 27m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:05 PM | 15h 09m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:28 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 40m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:13 PM | 4:46 PM | 8h 56m |
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 Badlands Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:41 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:37 AM – 4:17 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:41 AM – 3:11 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:56 PM – 2:36 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 1:23 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:46 PM – 11:16 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:19 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 67 | 74 | 83 | 92 | 100 | 110 | 114 | 110 | 105 | 92 | 80 | 67 |
| Low °F | -14 | -6 | -7 | 9 | 23 | 39 | 49 | 44 | 32 | 9 | 4 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
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
- 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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Badlands Wilderness, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Badlands Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Badlands Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Badlands Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Badlands Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Badlands Wilderness?
How far is Badlands Wilderness from Box Elder?
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.