Located in Wheeler County, Oregon, Ochoco National Forest is a national forest. It sits roughly 58 km (36 mi) E of Prineville.
The Ochoco National Forest is located in the Ochoco Mountains in Central Oregon in the United States, north and east of the city of Prineville, location of the national forest headquarters. It encompasses 850,000 acres (3,440 km2) of rimrock, canyons, geologic oddities, dense pine forests, and high desert terrain, as well as the headwaters of the North Fork Crooked River. A 1993 Forest Service study estimated that the extent of old growth in the forest was 95,000 acres (38,000 ha). In descending order of forestland area, it occupies lands within Crook, Harney, Wheeler, and Grant counties. The national forest also administers the Crooked River National Grassland, which is in Jefferson County.From the Wikipedia article “Ochoco National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ochoco National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 55° NE | 8:49 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 123° ESE | 4:25 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 50m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:01 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 31m |
| July | 4:56 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 5:33 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:41 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:18 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:56 PM | 8h 52m |
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 Ochoco National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:54 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:51 AM – 4:21 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:58 AM – 3:18 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:16 PM – 2:46 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 1:21 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 11:20 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 9:22 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 24% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 62 | 63 | 75 | 83 | 93 | 98 | 104 | 101 | 99 | 89 | 71 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | 1 | 8 | 22 | 25 | 31 | 38 | 37 | 28 | 15 | -2 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Ochoco National Forest, closest first.
Waterfall
Wilderness AreaWaterfall
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cold Springs Cabin - Ochoco Nf (Or)2.5 km (1.5 mi) · reservable
- Big Spring Campground11.0 km (6.9 mi)
- Walton Lake18.6 km (11.5 mi) · reservable
- Ochoco Forest Camp25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Ochoco Ranger Rental25 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ochoco National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Ochoco National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ochoco National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ochoco National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ochoco National Forest?
How far is Ochoco National Forest from Prineville?
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.