Cerro Gordo Mines is a ghost town in Inyo County, California. The nearest town is Lone Pine, about 25 km (16 mi) away (Cerro Gordo Mines lies ESE of town).
The Cerro Gordo Mines are a collection of abandoned mines located in Cerro Gordo in the Inyo Mountains, Inyo County, near Lone Pine, California. Mining operations were conducted from 1866 to 1957, producing high grade silver, lead, and zinc ore; and, more rarely, gold and copper. Some ore was smelted on site, but larger capacity smelters were eventually constructed along the shore of nearby Owens Lake. These smelting operations were the beginnings of the towns of Swansea and Keeler. Most of the metal ingots produced here were transported to Los Angeles. Mining of silver and lead peaked in the early 1880s, with a second mining boom producing zinc in the 1910s. Home to some 4,700 people during its peak, the site is now a California ghost town.From the Wikipedia article “Cerro Gordo Mines”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cerro Gordo Mines the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 60° ENE | 8:14 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:00 AM | 119° ESE | 4:40 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:21 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:11 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:37 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Cerro Gordo Mines, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:39 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:55 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:46 AM – 4:36 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 3:53 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:02 PM – 3:32 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:57 PM – 2:17 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:18 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 8:12 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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 ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (48%). 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 | 76 | 78 | 86 | 93 | 103 | 111 | 110 | 110 | 105 | 96 | 82 | 72 |
| Low °F | 17 | 21 | 23 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 59 | 55 | 43 | 26 | 21 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
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 ghost town
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cerro Gordo Mines, closest first.
Ghost Town
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cerro Gordo Mines?
What time is golden hour at Cerro Gordo Mines?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cerro Gordo Mines?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cerro Gordo Mines?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cerro Gordo Mines?
How far is Cerro Gordo Mines from Lone Pine?
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.