The lands of Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge were established to protect and provide habitat for migratory birds that cross State lines and international b
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47.6647° N111.3340° WBortle 3Denver

Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge Photography Guide

National Wildlife Refuge in Cascade County, Montana

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 235°–308°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie · CC BY 2.0 · source

Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Cascade County, Montana. It sits roughly 18.0 km (11.2 mi) NE of Sun Prairie.

Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a 12,459-acre (5,042 ha) National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in the central part of the U.S. state of Montana.From the Wikipedia article “Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Sun Prairie
18.0 km (11.2 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
July
38% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
1.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:57 PM
sunset 6:39 PM

Light at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Live
Sunrise
7:52 AM
Sunset
6:29 PM
Golden hour AM
7:33 AM – 8:35 AM
Golden hour PM
5:47 PM – 6:49 PM
Blue hour AM
7:21 AM – 7:33 AM
Blue hour PM
6:49 PM – 7:01 PM
Full darkness
8:12 PM – 6:11 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
4:10 PM / 1:26 AM
Day length
10h 37m
Sunrise azimuth
105°
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 Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:29 AM89° E7:38 PM271° W42°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:28 AM53° NE9:28 PM308° NW66°16h 00m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:13 AM89° E7:25 PM271° W43°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)8:12 AM125° SE4:37 PM235° SW19°8h 25m

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

Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:35 AM8:10 AM9:00 AM4:11 PM5:01 PM5:36 PM8h 51m
February7:00 AM7:32 AM8:16 AM5:05 PM5:49 PM6:20 PM10h 17m
March7:09 AM7:39 AM8:20 AM6:50 PM7:31 PM8:02 PM11h 52m
April6:05 AM6:37 AM7:18 AM7:33 PM8:15 PM8:47 PM13h 38m
May5:12 AM5:49 AM6:34 AM8:11 PM8:57 PM9:33 PM15h 08m
June4:47 AM5:28 AM6:16 AM8:37 PM9:26 PM10:06 PM15h 58m
July5:05 AM5:43 AM6:30 AM8:33 PM9:20 PM9:59 PM15h 37m
August5:48 AM6:22 AM7:05 AM7:57 PM8:40 PM9:14 PM14h 18m
September6:32 AM7:03 AM7:44 AM6:59 PM7:39 PM8:10 PM12h 36m
October7:14 AM7:45 AM8:27 AM5:57 PM6:39 PM7:10 PM10h 54m
November6:58 AM7:32 AM8:19 AM4:02 PM4:50 PM5:24 PM9h 19m
December7:32 AM8:08 AM9:01 AM3:42 PM4:35 PM5:11 PM8h 27m

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 Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-6°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—5°—
MarchBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
April4:00 AM – 4:30 AM0.512°SSE → SSE
May2:01 AM – 3:21 AM1.313°SSE → S
June12:35 AM – 2:15 AM1.713°SSE → S
July12:04 AM – 1:14 AM1.213°S → SSW
August10:44 PM – 11:14 PM0.512°SSW → SSW
SeptemberBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—5°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.56 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 38% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (71%). 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 °F55597684919810310093866953
Low °F-30-26-25718344240185-12-19
Precip. (in)1.01.11.12.22.63.21.21.31.71.41.01.0

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 national wildlife refuge

  • Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
  • Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
  • Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
  • Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.

Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Permits, drones & access

Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 40 km of Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.

Benton LakeLake
Benton Lake2.7 km away · Cascade County · 1,105 m
Waterfall
Colter Falls17 km away · Cascade County · 986 m
Waterfall
Black Eagle Falls17 km away · Cascade County · 1,001 m
Rainbow FallsWaterfall
Rainbow Falls17 km away · Cascade County · 977 m
Waterfall
Crooked Falls18 km away · Cascade County · 954 m
Great FallsWaterfall
Great Falls19 km away · Cascade County
Big FallsWaterfall
Big Falls19 km away · Cascade County · 918 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Broadwater Overlook Park19 km away · Cascade County · 1,030 m
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State ParkState Park
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park24 km away · Cascade County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
July 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. Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
What time is golden hour at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:57 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:39 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:27 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 53° in June to 125° in December; sunset ranges from 308° to 235°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
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 Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge from Sun Prairie?
About 18.0 km (11.2 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.