View looking towards the Black Elk Wilderness in the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. Horsethief Lake can be seen in the foreground.
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43.8500° N103.5330° WBortle 2Denver

Black Elk Wilderness Photography Guide

Wilderness Area in Custer County, South Dakota

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–305°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Beth Steinhauer, Black Hills National Forest · Public domain · source

Black Elk Wilderness is a wilderness area in Custer County, South Dakota. It sits roughly 10.7 km (6.6 mi) NNE of Custer.

The Black Elk Wilderness is a nature preserve located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. The wilderness was designated by an act of Congress in 1980. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service, Black Elk Wilderness is part of Black Hills National Forest. This 13,426 acre (54 km2) region is considered sacred to Native Americans, especially the Sioux and is named after Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux holy man. Mount Rushmore National Memorial is immediately to the north and much of the rest of the wilderness is bordered by other protected land under the jurisdiction of state and federal agencies.From the Wikipedia article “Black Elk Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Custer
10.7 km (6.6 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
September
43% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:33 PM
sunset 6:12 PM

Light at Black Elk Wilderness

Live
Sunrise
7:15 AM
Sunset
6:03 PM
Golden hour AM
6:57 AM – 7:55 AM
Golden hour PM
5:24 PM – 6:21 PM
Blue hour AM
6:46 AM – 6:57 AM
Blue hour PM
6:21 PM – 6:33 PM
Full darkness
7:39 PM – 5:40 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:31 PM / 1:04 AM
Day length
10h 48m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Black Elk 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:58 AM90° E7:07 PM271° W46°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:13 AM56° NE8:41 PM305° NW70°15h 28m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:42 AM89° E6:53 PM271° W46°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:26 AM123° ESE4:20 PM238° WSW23°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:54 AM7:26 AM8:11 AM3:57 PM4:42 PM5:14 PM9h 17m
February6:24 AM6:54 AM7:35 AM4:44 PM5:24 PM5:54 PM10h 30m
March6:39 AM7:07 AM7:45 AM6:22 PM7:01 PM7:29 PM11h 53m
April5:42 AM6:12 AM6:50 AM6:59 PM7:38 PM8:08 PM13h 26m
May4:56 AM5:29 AM6:11 AM7:32 PM8:13 PM8:47 PM14h 44m
June4:36 AM5:12 AM5:56 AM7:55 PM8:39 PM9:15 PM15h 27m
July4:51 AM5:26 AM6:09 AM7:52 PM8:35 PM9:10 PM15h 09m
August5:28 AM5:59 AM6:39 AM7:20 PM8:00 PM8:31 PM14h 01m
September6:05 AM6:34 AM7:12 AM6:28 PM7:06 PM7:35 PM12h 32m
October6:40 AM7:09 AM7:48 AM5:33 PM6:12 PM6:41 PM11h 03m
November6:19 AM6:50 AM7:33 AM3:46 PM4:30 PM5:01 PM9h 40m
December6:49 AM7:22 AM8:09 AM3:31 PM4:18 PM4:51 PM8h 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 Black Elk 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
March4:46 AM – 5:26 AM0.714°SSE → SSE
April2:42 AM – 4:22 AM1.717°SSE → S
May12:46 AM – 3:16 AM2.517°SSE → S
June11:01 PM – 2:41 AM3.717°SSE → SSW
July10:48 PM – 1:28 AM2.717°S → SSW
August9:51 PM – 11:21 PM1.516°S → SSW
September8:44 PM – 9:24 PM0.714°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.81 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 September as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F6369798795106108104101897664
Low °F-10-12-9820364640282-2-13
Precip. (in)0.40.61.02.03.12.62.21.71.41.20.50.4

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.
  • Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
  • 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 Black Elk Wilderness, closest first.

Natural Arch
Needle Eye1.4 km away · Custer County
Black Elk Peak Lookout TowerFire Lookout
Black Elk Peak Lookout Tower1.8 km away · Custer County
Black Elk PeakMountain Peak
Black Elk Peak2.4 km away · Pennington County · 2,204 m
Waterfall
Grizzly Bear Falls5.8 km away · Pennington County · 1,498 m
Mount RushmoreMountain Peak
Mount Rushmore6.7 km away · Pennington County · 1,725 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Borglum View Terrace7.0 km away · Pennington County
Scenic Viewpoint
Norbeck Memorial Overlook7.9 km away · Pennington County · 1,648 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Norbeck Memorial Overlook Recreation Site10 km away · Custer County · 1,400 m
Mount Coolidge Lookout TowerFire Lookout
Mount Coolidge Lookout Tower12 km away · Custer County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Black Elk Wilderness?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at Black Elk Wilderness?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:33 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:12 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:48 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Black Elk Wilderness?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Black Elk Wilderness?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Black Elk Wilderness?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Black Elk Wilderness from Custer?
About 10.7 km (6.6 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.