South Fork State Recreation Area is a state park in Elko County, Nevada. It sits roughly 15.5 km (9.6 mi) WSW of Spring Creek.
South Fork State Recreation Area is a state park unit of the state of Nevada covering nearly four thousand acres, located five miles (8.0 km) due south of Elko. The park comprises the 1,650-acre (670 ha) South Fork Reservoir and surrounding marsh, meadowlands, and hills.From the Wikipedia article “South Fork State Recreation Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At South Fork State Recreation Area the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:47 AM | 90° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 58° ENE | 8:18 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:31 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 121° ESE | 4:20 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 15m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:47 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:36 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 4:39 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:53 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:50 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:21 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:32 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:11 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 6:30 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:44 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 17m |
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 South Fork State Recreation Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | 5:00 AM – 5:00 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:11 AM – 5:21 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 4:21 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:07 AM – 3:27 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:23 PM – 3:03 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:14 PM – 1:34 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:26 PM – 11:36 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 9:37 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:35 PM – 7:35 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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 ≈ 21.71 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 64 | 73 | 81 | 92 | 98 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 83 | 70 | 54 |
| Low °F | -18 | -6 | -1 | 15 | 19 | 27 | 42 | 40 | 26 | 8 | -8 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 |
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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of South Fork State Recreation Area, closest first.
Ghost Town
Mountain Peak
Hot Spring
Canyon
Canyon
Lake
Mountain Peak
Lake
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph South Fork State Recreation Area?
What time is golden hour at South Fork State Recreation Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at South Fork State Recreation Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from South Fork State Recreation Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at South Fork State Recreation Area?
How far is South Fork State Recreation Area from Spring Creek?
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.