Mount Harkness Fire Lookout is a fire lookout in Plumas County, California. It lies in or next to Lassen Volcanic National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 15.1 km (9.4 mi) NNW of Chester. It dates from 1930. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Mount Harkness Fire Lookout, on Mount Harkness in Lassen Volcanic National Park, in Plumas County, California near Mineral, California, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. It was built in 1931 to a "classic rustic NPS design". It has a 15 by 15 feet (4.6 m × 4.6 m) cab with a log catwalk and railings, upon a 15 feet (4.6 m) stone tower. It is at elevation 7,985 feet (2,434 m) and is staffed and open during the summer. It is one of fewer than 40 operating National Park Service (NPS) fire lookouts in 2019. It was destroyed by the July/August 2021 Dixie Fire.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Harkness Fire Lookout”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Harkness Fire Lookout the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 58° ENE | 8:40 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 121° ESE | 4:43 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 17m |
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
Lookouts are built for 360° views, so sunrise and sunset are both options — use the azimuths to decide which view you want.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 25m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 47m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 18m |
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 Mount Harkness Fire Lookout, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:22 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:27 AM – 3:47 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 3:23 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:04 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 11:57 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 9:58 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ 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 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 59 | 64 | 65 | 74 | 88 | 94 | 102 | 99 | 96 | 87 | 74 | 58 |
| Low °F | -1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 23 | 27 | 38 | 35 | 26 | 21 | -2 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.0 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 7.1 |
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 fire lookout
- Access roads may be rough or seasonal.
- Some lookouts can be rented overnight through recreation.gov, which puts you on site for both sunset and sunrise.
- Shoot the tower itself against the Milky Way or star trails on clear, moonless nights.
- Haze from wildfire smoke can turn the sun deep red but reduce visibility; check air quality.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Summer and early autumn; many towers are staffed only during fire season.
Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Warm layers. 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 25 km of Mount Harkness Fire Lookout, closest first.
Lake
Lake
Wilderness Area
Waterfall
Lake
Mountain Peak
Lake
Mountain Peak
Hot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Juniper Lake Stock Corral2.3 km (1.4 mi) · reservable
- Juniper Lake Group2.3 km (1.4 mi) · reservable
- Warner Creek Campground7.7 km (4.8 mi)
- Warner Valley Campground8.1 km (5.0 mi) · reservable
- Domingo Springs Campground8.7 km (5.4 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Harkness Fire Lookout?
What time is golden hour at Mount Harkness Fire Lookout?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Harkness Fire Lookout?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Harkness Fire Lookout?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Harkness Fire Lookout?
How far is Mount Harkness Fire Lookout from Chester?
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.