Jack Creek — a ghost town in Elko County, Nevada — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 79 km (49 mi) NNW of Elko.
Jack Creek is an unincorporated community in Elko County, Nevada, United States. It took its name from nearby Jack Creek. The Jack Creek area became the prime source of wood for Tuscarora. Jack Creek soon became a stop on the Northern Stage Company's line from Tuscarora to Mountain City. It was created a little community of about 20 inhabitants and few other ranches had formed in the region. A local rancher Chesley Woodward operated in the city a store, a restaurant, a rooming house for many years. Population has increased and an Opera House was built there, but it was very small, but people of the little community liked of the leisure and camaraderie. Harrington died in 1886 and his properties were acquired by several owners and the area was developed for travelers and fishing parties and hunters and became a local sportsmen's mecca.From the Wikipedia article “Jack Creek, Nevada”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jack Creek the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:49 AM | 90° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 57° ENE | 8:22 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:33 AM | 89° E | 6:43 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:08 AM | 121° ESE | 4:18 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 10m |
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 | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:36 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 31m |
| June | 4:37 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:53 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 15h 10m |
| July | 4:51 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:33 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:15 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 52m |
| December | 6:33 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:49 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:16 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 12m |
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 Jack Creek, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:01 AM – 5:01 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:14 AM – 4:14 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:12 AM – 3:22 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:00 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 1:30 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 11:30 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:29 PM – 9:29 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:36 PM – 7:36 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 29% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 56 | 61 | 71 | 80 | 90 | 97 | 99 | 94 | 92 | 83 | 67 | 50 |
| Low °F | -18 | -5 | 1 | 14 | 17 | 25 | 39 | 37 | 25 | 7 | -9 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 2.4 |
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
- 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.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Jack Creek, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jack Creek?
What time is golden hour at Jack Creek?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jack Creek?
Can you see the Milky Way from Jack Creek?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jack Creek?
How far is Jack Creek from Elko?
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.