Chinese Camp — a ghost town in Tuolumne County, California — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Jamestown, about 9.3 km (5.8 mi) away (Chinese Camp lies S of town).
Chinese Camp is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 90 at the 2020 census, down from 126 at the 2010 census, which was down from 146 at the 2000 census. It lies in the grassy foothills of the Sierra Nevada near the southern end of California's Gold Country. Chinese Camp is California Historical Landmark #423, since 1949.From the Wikipedia article “Chinese Camp, California”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chinese Camp 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 59° ENE | 8:28 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 120° ESE | 4:47 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Chinese Camp, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:00 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:07 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:10 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:21 PM – 3:41 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:14 PM – 2:14 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:13 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.11 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 11% average cloud cover) and January 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 | 76 | 79 | 88 | 97 | 110 | 113 | 119 | 115 | 115 | 105 | 87 | 75 |
| Low °F | 25 | 28 | 31 | 35 | 41 | 45 | 53 | 52 | 49 | 41 | 28 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 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 ghost town
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Chinese Camp, closest first.
State Park
Covered Bridge
State Park
Natural Arch
Covered Bridge
CaveCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tuttletown Recreation Area14.2 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
- Glory Hole Recreation Area17.9 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chinese Camp?
What time is golden hour at Chinese Camp?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chinese Camp?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chinese Camp?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chinese Camp?
How far is Chinese Camp from Jamestown?
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.