Modoc National Forest is a national forest in Modoc County, California. It sits roughly 33 km (21 mi) W of Alturas.
Modoc National Forest is a 1,654,392-acre (6,695 km2) U.S. national forest in Northeastern California.From the Wikipedia article “Modoc National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Modoc National Forest 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) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 57° ENE | 8:42 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 121° ESE | 4:38 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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 31m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 10m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 52m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:09 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 11m |
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 Modoc National Forest, 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:21 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:34 AM – 4:34 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 3:42 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:50 PM – 3:20 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:40 PM – 1:50 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 11:50 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 9:49 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 7:56 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 ≈ 21.92 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 22% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 61 | 64 | 74 | 80 | 90 | 98 | 102 | 99 | 98 | 88 | 74 | 59 |
| Low °F | -10 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 21 | 29 | 39 | 38 | 28 | 19 | 4 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 2.5 |
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 national forest
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Modoc National Forest, closest first.
Hot Spring
Fire Lookout
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Modoc National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Modoc National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Modoc National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Modoc National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Modoc National Forest?
How far is Modoc National Forest from Alturas?
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.