Washoe City — a ghost town in Washoe County, Nevada — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 17.4 km (10.8 mi) N of Carson City.
Washoe City is a ghost town in on the north shore of Washoe Lake in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. Nearby there is a new community called New Washoe City.From the Wikipedia article “Washoe City, Nevada”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Washoe City the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 58° ENE | 8:30 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 120° ESE | 4:40 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 24m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 20m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 55m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 02m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 25m |
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 Washoe City, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:12 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:14 AM – 3:54 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:28 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 2:00 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 12:06 AM | 2.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:00 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:01 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.73 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% 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 | 70 | 71 | 78 | 86 | 95 | 101 | 106 | 101 | 100 | 89 | 74 | 63 |
| Low °F | 5 | 9 | 17 | 21 | 26 | 32 | 47 | 44 | 32 | 19 | 9 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 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 Washoe City, closest first.
Ghost Town
Lake
Hot SpringHot Spring
Waterfall
State ParkMountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mount Rose (Nv) 10.1 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
- Boca Spring28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Boca Rest Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Boca Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Alpine Meadow Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Washoe City?
What time is golden hour at Washoe City?
Where does the sun rise and set at Washoe City?
Can you see the Milky Way from Washoe City?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Washoe City?
How far is Washoe City from Carson City?
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.