Located in Klamath County, Oregon, Fremont–Winema National Forest is a national forest. It sits roughly 62 km (39 mi) NE of Altamont.
The Fremont–Winema National Forest is a United States National Forest formed from the 2002 merger of the Fremont and Winema National Forests. They cover territory in southern Oregon from the crest of the Cascade Range on the west past the city of Lakeview to the east. The northern end of the forests is bounded by U.S. Route 97 on the west and Oregon Route 31 on the northeast. To the south, the state border with California forms the boundary of the forests. Klamath Falls is the only city of significant size in the vicinity. The forests are managed by the United States Forest Service, and the national forest headquarters are located in Lakeview.From the Wikipedia article “Fremont–Winema National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fremont–Winema National Forest 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° (NW) in June to 238° (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) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:28 AM | 57° ENE | 8:47 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 122° ESE | 4:35 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 03m |
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 24m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:11 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 37m |
| June | 4:52 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:20 PM | 15h 18m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 00m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:14 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 04m |
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 Fremont–Winema National Forest, 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:39 AM – 4:39 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:49 AM – 3:39 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:00 PM – 3:10 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:48 PM – 1:48 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:56 PM – 11:46 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 9:42 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: 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 7.0+ 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 20% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 59 | 60 | 72 | 78 | 87 | 96 | 100 | 96 | 94 | 86 | 71 | 54 |
| Low °F | -12 | -10 | 4 | 15 | 21 | 27 | 38 | 35 | 26 | 17 | -6 | -10 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 4.4 |
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 Fremont–Winema National Forest, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Mountain Pass
National Forest
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fremont–Winema National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Fremont–Winema National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fremont–Winema National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fremont–Winema National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fremont–Winema National Forest?
How far is Fremont–Winema National Forest from Altamont?
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.