Snowy hillside in Tahoe National Forest, California, right off the highway. Still lots of snow in April.
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39.5625° N120.5620° WBortle 3Los Angeles

Tahoe National Forest Photography Guide

National Forest in Sierra County, California

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Wouter Kiel · CC BY 2.0 · source

Tahoe National Forest is a national forest in Sierra County, California. It sits roughly 29 km (18 mi) SSW of Portola.

Tahoe National Forest is a United States National Forest located in California, northwest of Lake Tahoe. It includes the 8,587-foot (2,617 m) peak of Sierra Buttes, near Sierra City, which has views of Mount Lassen and Mount Shasta. It is located in parts of six counties: Sierra, Placer, Nevada, Yuba, Plumas and El Dorado. The forest has a total area of 871,495 acres (1,362 sq mi; 3,527 km2). Its headquarters is in Nevada City, California. There are local ranger district offices in Camptonville, Foresthill, Sierraville and Truckee. Tahoe National Forest has many natural and man-made resources for the enjoyment of its visitors, including hundreds of lakes and reservoirs (most notably Boca Reservoir), river canyons carving through granite bedrock, and many miles of trails including a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. The National Wilderness Preservation System's Granite Chief...From the Wikipedia article “Tahoe National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Portola
29 km (18 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
July
15% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:48 PM
sunset 6:24 PM

Light at Tahoe National Forest

Live
Sunrise
7:18 AM
Sunset
6:17 PM
Golden hour AM
7:01 AM – 7:55 AM
Golden hour PM
5:40 PM – 6:34 PM
Blue hour AM
6:51 AM – 7:01 AM
Blue hour PM
6:34 PM – 6:45 PM
Full darkness
7:47 PM – 5:49 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:32 PM / 1:25 AM
Day length
10h 59m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Tahoe National Forest 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:06 AM90° E7:15 PM271° W50°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:36 AM58° ENE8:34 PM302° WNW74°14h 58m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:51 AM89° E7:01 PM271° W51°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:20 AM120° ESE4:42 PM240° WSW27°9h 22m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:52 AM7:22 AM8:03 AM4:22 PM5:03 PM5:32 PM9h 41m
February6:28 AM6:55 AM7:33 AM5:02 PM5:39 PM6:07 PM10h 44m
March6:48 AM7:15 AM7:50 AM6:34 PM7:10 PM7:36 PM11h 55m
April5:58 AM6:25 AM7:02 AM7:04 PM7:40 PM8:08 PM13h 15m
May5:19 AM5:49 AM6:27 AM7:32 PM8:10 PM8:40 PM14h 21m
June5:03 AM5:35 AM6:15 AM7:52 PM8:32 PM9:05 PM14h 57m
July5:16 AM5:48 AM6:27 AM7:50 PM8:30 PM9:01 PM14h 42m
August5:47 AM6:16 AM6:52 AM7:23 PM8:00 PM8:29 PM13h 44m
September6:17 AM6:44 AM7:20 AM6:37 PM7:12 PM7:39 PM12h 28m
October6:46 AM7:13 AM7:49 AM5:48 PM6:24 PM6:52 PM11h 12m
November6:19 AM6:47 AM7:27 AM4:08 PM4:48 PM5:17 PM10h 01m
December6:46 AM7:17 AM7:59 AM3:58 PM4:40 PM5:10 PM9h 24m

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 Tahoe National Forest, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:09 AM – 5:19 AM0.212°SE → SE
March4:19 AM – 5:39 AM1.318°SE → SSE
April2:16 AM – 4:46 AM2.521°SE → S
May12:19 AM – 3:49 AM3.522°SE → S
June10:33 PM – 3:33 AM5.022°SE → SSW
July10:25 PM – 2:05 AM3.722°S → SW
August9:40 PM – 12:00 AM2.321°S → SW
September8:43 PM – 10:03 PM1.318°SSW → SW
October7:54 PM – 8:04 PM0.212°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.58 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 15% 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F64677076899810210098907762
Low °F04713242739382721-10
Precip. (in)5.66.86.13.41.90.60.10.10.52.34.37.9

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

  • 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.
  • Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
  • Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Tahoe National Forest, closest first.

Waterfall
Loves Falls4.4 km away · Sierra County · 1,444 m
Waterfall
Hackmans Falls5.6 km away · Sierra County · 1,401 m
Schroeder MountainMountain Peak
Schroeder Mountain7.8 km away · Sierra County · 2,116 m
Mountain Pass
Yuba Pass8.7 km away · Sierra County · 2,045 m
Mountain Pass
Henness Pass12 km away · Sierra County · 2,108 m
Waterfall
Frazier Falls17 km away · Sierra County · 1,855 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Frazier Falls Scenic Viewpoint18 km away · Plumas County · 1,815 m
Waterfall
Fern Falls19 km away · Plumas County · 1,816 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Cottonwood Overlook Trail21 km away · Sierra County · 1,792 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Tahoe National Forest?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
What time is golden hour at Tahoe National Forest?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:48 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:24 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:49 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Tahoe National Forest?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Tahoe National Forest?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tahoe National Forest?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Tahoe National Forest from Portola?
About 29 km (18 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.