Located in Wallowa County, Oregon, McCully Trailhead is a canyon at about 1,818 m (5,965 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 12.3 km (7.6 mi) SE of Joseph.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At McCully Trailhead the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:01 AM | 55° NE | 8:41 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 124° ESE | 4:09 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 44m |
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
Canyons need light from above: rims glow at sunrise and sunset, while deep or narrow sections are brightest near midday when reflected light bounces off the walls.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:12 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 08m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:33 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 4:45 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 53m |
| June | 4:23 AM | 5:01 AM | 5:46 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:16 PM | 15h 38m |
| July | 4:40 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 19m |
| August | 5:18 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 07m |
| September | 5:58 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:33 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 32m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:11 AM | 3:18 PM | 4:07 PM | 4:41 PM | 8h 45m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 McCully Trailhead, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 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 | 4:54 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:53 AM – 4:13 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:52 AM – 3:02 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:14 PM – 2:24 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:57 PM – 1:07 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 11:03 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 9:03 PM | 0.3 | 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 ≈ 21.91 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 29% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 48 | 53 | 67 | 78 | 88 | 97 | 102 | 100 | 97 | 87 | 64 | 52 |
| Low °F | -14 | -9 | 5 | 16 | 23 | 29 | 36 | 36 | 26 | 11 | -3 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.5 |
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 canyon
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- Check flash flood forecasts before entering slot or narrow canyons — rain miles away can flood them.
- Dust and sand are hard on gear; change lenses in a bag or with your back to the wind.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Wide and telephoto lenses, Lens blower, Weather radio or app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of McCully Trailhead, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
Waterfall
Lake
Lake
Lake
Lake
State Park
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph McCully Trailhead?
What time is golden hour at McCully Trailhead?
Where does the sun rise and set at McCully Trailhead?
Can you see the Milky Way from McCully Trailhead?
Do you need a permit to photograph at McCully Trailhead?
How far is McCully Trailhead from Joseph?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.