Located in Beaverhead County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is West Yellowstone, about 54 km (33 mi) away (Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge lies W of town).
Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, established by executive order in 1935, is a remote refuge located in the high elevation of the Centennial Valley, in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of Montana. Adjacent to Gallatin National Forest and near Yellowstone National Park, the refuge is an integral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Red Rock Lakes is best known for being the primary location for the efforts saving the trumpeter swan from extinction, which by 1932 had fewer than 200 known specimens in the United States and Canada. By the year 2002, an estimated 3,000 trumpeters were wintering on the refuge, many having migrated south from their summer range in Canada. The trumpeters are now so plentiful that efforts are being undertaken to help them reestablish historical migratory routes to areas further south in the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin region. The...From the Wikipedia article “Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge 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 | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 55° NE | 9:17 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
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| 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 | 5:46 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 | 6:44 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 | 8:49 PM | 9:23 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 | 5:57 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:09 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:14 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:23 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 7:25 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 National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:31 AM – 5:51 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:29 AM – 4:49 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:27 AM – 3:47 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:46 PM – 3:06 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:30 PM – 1:50 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:29 PM – 11:49 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:20 PM – 9:50 PM | 0.5 | 12° | 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 national wildlife refuge
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakMountain Pass
Lake
Fire Lookout
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- West Fork Cabin (S Of Ennis)21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Cliff Point (Mt)25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Hilltop Campground (Mt)26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Wade Lake (Mt)26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Steel Creek Group Campground26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge 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.