Buncom — a ghost town in Jackson County, Oregon — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Jacksonville, about 15.7 km (9.8 mi) away (Buncom lies S of town).
Buncom (also spelled Bunkum or Buncombe) is an abandoned mining town at the confluence of the Little Applegate River and Sterling Creek in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It is approximately 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Medford, at an elevation of 1,783 feet (543.5 m) above sea level. The site is promoted by the local historical society as a ghost town.From the Wikipedia article “Buncom, Oregon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Buncom the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 57° ENE | 8:52 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 122° ESE | 4:44 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 06m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 15m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 58m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:32 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:20 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 07m |
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 Buncom, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:45 AM – 4:45 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:54 AM – 3:44 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 3:15 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:54 PM – 1:54 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:02 PM – 11:52 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 9:49 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.33 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 19% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 69 | 80 | 92 | 101 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 90 | 76 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 28 | 37 | 35 | 29 | 23 | 4 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 6.5 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Buncom, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Fire Lookout
Scenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
National Forest
Hot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Beaver Sulphur Group Campground7.4 km (4.6 mi) · reservable
- Mckee Bridge Community Kitchen8.1 km (5.1 mi) · reservable
- Flumet Flat Group Campground9.7 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
- Jackson Campground On The Applegate River9.9 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
- Acorn Woman Peak Lookout11.6 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Buncom?
What time is golden hour at Buncom?
Where does the sun rise and set at Buncom?
Can you see the Milky Way from Buncom?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Buncom?
How far is Buncom from Jacksonville?
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.