Llano Del Rio — a ghost town in Los Angeles County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Lake Los Angeles, about 11.8 km (7.3 mi) away (Llano Del Rio lies S of town).
Llano del Rio was a commune (or "colony") located in what is now Llano, California, east of Palmdale in the Antelope Valley, Los Angeles County. The colony was devised by lawyer and socialist politician Job Harriman after he had failed in his bid to become the mayor of Los Angeles in 1911. The colony's land was acquired in 1913 and it was formally launched on May 1, 1914. The Llano del Rio Colony settled in the southern edge of the Mojave Desert along what is now Highway 138 near what is now 165th Street East, in the alluvial plain spreading to the north from the San Gabriel Mountains. The colony took advantage of water from Big Rock Creek, an intermittent stream that flows from the San Gabriel Mountains. Several structures were constructed using local granite boulders and lumber, including a hotel, meeting house, and water storage tank. There was also a small open aqueduct made of...From the Wikipedia article “Llano del Rio”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Llano Del Rio the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 61° ENE | 8:08 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 118° ESE | 4:45 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
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 | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 15m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 52m |
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 Llano Del Rio, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:29 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:43 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:41 AM – 4:41 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:45 PM – 4:05 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:52 PM – 3:52 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:47 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:12 PM – 12:22 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:24 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:41 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.89 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (44%). 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 | 77 | 82 | 87 | 93 | 103 | 110 | 111 | 109 | 109 | 98 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 22 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 35 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 40 | 33 | 24 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
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 Llano Del Rio, closest first.
Mountain Pass
State Park
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sycamore Flat Campground10.3 km (6.4 mi) · reservable
- Southfork Campground12.3 km (7.7 mi)
- Mountain Oak15.3 km (9.5 mi) · reservable
- Lake Campground16.0 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Peavine Campground16.4 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Llano Del Rio?
What time is golden hour at Llano Del Rio?
Where does the sun rise and set at Llano Del Rio?
Can you see the Milky Way from Llano Del Rio?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Llano Del Rio?
How far is Llano Del Rio from Lake Los Angeles?
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.