Located in Inyo County, California, The Dunes is a sand dunes. It lies in or next to Death Valley National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Lone Pine, about 26 km (16 mi) away (The Dunes lies NE of town).
Wikidata describes it as: “sand dunes in Saline Valley”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At The Dunes the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 60° ENE | 8:14 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:01 AM | 119° ESE | 4:39 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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
Dunes need low sun: ripples and ridgelines only appear when side-light casts shadows, so shoot within an hour of sunrise or sunset.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:53 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:21 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:11 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:38 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 40m |
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 The Dunes, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:39 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:55 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:47 AM – 4:37 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:54 PM – 3:54 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:04 PM – 3:34 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:58 PM – 2:08 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:19 PM – 12:09 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:28 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 8:12 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.87 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (48%). 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 | 76 | 78 | 86 | 93 | 103 | 111 | 110 | 110 | 105 | 96 | 82 | 72 |
| Low °F | 17 | 21 | 23 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 59 | 55 | 43 | 26 | 21 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
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 sand dunes
- Walk along ridges rather than across faces to avoid leaving footprints in your future compositions.
- A telephoto isolates S-curves and layered ridges.
- Wind erases tracks overnight — mornings have the cleanest sand.
- Protect gear from blowing sand; avoid changing lenses in the wind.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn for comfortable temperatures; full moon nights give soft light on the sand.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lens blower, Sun protection, Water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of The Dunes, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph The Dunes?
What time is golden hour at The Dunes?
Where does the sun rise and set at The Dunes?
Can you see the Milky Way from The Dunes?
Do you need a permit to photograph at The Dunes?
How far is The Dunes from Lone Pine?
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.