Located in White Pine County, Nevada, Wheeler Peak is a mountain peak at about 3,960 m (12,992 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Great Basin National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 58 km (36 mi) ESE of Ely.
Wheeler Peak is the tallest mountain in the Snake Range and in White Pine County, in Nevada, United States. The summit elevation of 13,065 feet (3,982 m) makes it the second-highest peak in Nevada, just behind Boundary Peak. With a topographic prominence of 7,563 feet (2,305 m), Wheeler Peak is the most topographically prominent peak in White Pine County and the second-most prominent peak in Nevada, just behind Mount Charleston. The mountain is located in Great Basin National Park and was named for George Wheeler, leader of the Wheeler Survey of the late 19th century.From the Wikipedia article “Wheeler Peak (Nevada)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wheeler Peak 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:42 AM | 90° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 59° ENE | 8:07 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:26 AM | 89° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:53 AM | 120° ESE | 4:19 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 26m |
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
Summits catch first and last light — alpenglow can turn rock pink or orange minutes before sunrise and after sunset while valleys stay in shadow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:26 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:36 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:34 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:14 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 53m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 5:53 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:27 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:00 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:53 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:47 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Wheeler Peak, 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 4:44 AM – 4:54 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:53 AM – 5:13 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:49 AM – 4:19 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 11:51 PM – 3:31 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:04 PM – 3:04 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 9:57 PM – 1:47 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:13 PM – 11:43 PM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:18 PM – 9:38 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:28 PM – 7:38 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (55%). 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 | 63 | 65 | 76 | 83 | 93 | 100 | 101 | 98 | 97 | 83 | 71 | 58 |
| Low °F | -12 | -1 | 12 | 17 | 20 | 29 | 47 | 44 | 27 | 14 | 2 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
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 mountain peak
- Long lenses compress ridgelines; shoot the peak from several miles away to make it look massive.
- Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer at high elevations — plan summit hikes for early morning.
- Snow on the summit holds detail best when you expose for the highlights and lift shadows later.
- Alpenglow lasts only a few minutes; set up and focus beforehand.
- Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Early summer keeps snow on the peaks with green valleys below; autumn adds aspen or larch color in many ranges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lightweight tripod, Warm layers, Microspikes in shoulder seasons. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Wheeler Peak, closest first.
Waterfall
Dark Sky Place
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Wheeler Peak Campground2.9 km (1.8 mi) · reservable
- Upper Lehman Creek Campground6.3 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Lower Lehman Creek Campground7.2 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Grey Cliffs Campground7.9 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Dump Station8.7 km (5.4 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wheeler Peak?
What time is golden hour at Wheeler Peak?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wheeler Peak?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wheeler Peak?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wheeler Peak?
How far is Wheeler Peak from Ely?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.