Toiyabe National Forest is a national forest in Lyon County, Nevada. The nearest town is Topaz Ranch Estates, about 15.3 km (9.5 mi) away (Toiyabe National Forest lies SE of town).
Wikidata describes it as: “national forest in California and Nevada in the United States administratively combined with Humboldt National Forest in 1994”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Toiyabe National Forest 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 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 59° ENE | 8:26 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 120° ESE | 4:40 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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 | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Toiyabe National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:14 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:23 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:16 PM – 2:06 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 12:03 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 9:58 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.3 | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.74 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 66 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 98 | 93 | 92 | 83 | 71 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | -6 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 22 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 |
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
- 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.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Toiyabe National Forest, closest first.
Lake
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
Hot Spring
Waterfall
Ghost TownWaterfallHot SpringHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Bootleg24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Chris Flat26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Centerville Flat Campground29 km (18 mi)
- Sonora Bridge30 km (19 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Toiyabe National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Toiyabe National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Toiyabe National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Toiyabe National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Toiyabe National Forest?
How far is Toiyabe National Forest from Topaz Ranch Estates?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.