Great Basin National Park is a dark sky place in White Pine County, Nevada. It lies in or next to Great Basin National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Enoch, about 172 km (107 mi) away (Great Basin National Park lies NW of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Great Basin National Park is a national park of the United States located in White Pine County in east-central Nevada, near the Utah border. Established 40 years ago in 1986, the park is most commonly entered by way of Nevada State Route 488, which is connected to U.S. Routes 6 and 50 by Nevada State Route 487 via the small town of Baker, the closest settlement. The park derives its name from the Great Basin, the dry and mountainous region between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Mountains. Topographically, this area is known as the Basin and Range Province. The park is located about 290 miles (470 km) north of Las Vegas and protects 77,180 acres (121 sq mi; 312 km2). The park is notable for its groves of ancient bristlecone pines, the oldest known living non-clonal organisms; Lehman Caves; Wheeler Peak Glacier, below 13,063-foot (3,982 m) Wheeler Peak; and some of the darkest night...From the Wikipedia article “Great Basin National Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Great Basin National Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:41 AM | 90° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 59° ENE | 8:07 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:25 AM | 89° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:53 AM | 120° ESE | 4:19 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:26 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:36 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:33 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:13 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 4:39 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 53m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 5:52 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:26 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:00 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:53 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:16 PM | 4:46 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Great Basin National Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 4:44 AM – 4:54 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:53 AM – 5:13 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:49 AM – 4:19 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 11:51 PM – 3:31 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:04 PM – 3:04 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 9:57 PM – 1:47 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:13 PM – 11:43 PM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:18 PM – 9:38 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:28 PM – 7:38 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 61 | 61 | 74 | 81 | 91 | 98 | 101 | 99 | 95 | 83 | 71 | 58 |
| Low °F | -18 | -3 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 27 | 43 | 41 | 26 | 10 | -1 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
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 dark sky place
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Use the Milky Way table to find months and hours when the core is above the horizon.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. 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 Great Basin National Park, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Wilderness Area
Wilderness AreaMountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Dump Station331 m
- Grey Cliffs Campground1.8 km (1.1 mi) · reservable
- Lower Lehman Creek Campground2.1 km (1.3 mi) · reservable
- Upper Lehman Creek Campground2.6 km (1.6 mi) · reservable
- Wheeler Peak Campground7.3 km (4.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Great Basin National Park?
What time is golden hour at Great Basin National Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Great Basin National Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Great Basin National Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Great Basin National Park?
How far is Great Basin National Park from Enoch?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via 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.