Chaos Crags Viewpoint is a scenic viewpoint in Shasta County, California. It lies in or next to Lassen Volcanic National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 30 km (18 mi) E of Shingletown.
From the National Park Service
Imagine a rock slide racing nearly 100 miles per hour down Chaos Crags lava dome volcanoes at this very spot. The jumbled rocks surrounding you are the result of a series of 3 rockfall avalanches that occurred around 1660. The first and largest avalanche covers about 2.5 square miles (6.8 square km) and created this undulating landscape.
What caused the rock avalanches? Geologists believe that the dacite rock that forms Chaos Crags lava domes broke free. Years of freeze and thaw created cracks in the fragile rocks and weakened their bond. Steep-sided slopes allowed the loose rock to break free and rush downslope. Geologists describe the rocks here floating on a cushion of air during the avalanche. The rocks gained such high speeds, that air became trapped between the ground and rocks. With friction reduced, the rocks were able to flow very far. As they came to a rest on the edges of the flow, rocks in the center continued to move at a rapid rate, creating frozen waves .
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chaos Crags Viewpoint 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) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 58° ENE | 8:41 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 121° ESE | 4:43 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:12 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 18m |
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 Chaos Crags Viewpoint, 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 21° 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 | 5:23 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 3:48 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 3:24 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:05 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 11:58 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 9:59 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 7:58 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 ≈ 21.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ 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 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 64 | 65 | 74 | 88 | 94 | 102 | 99 | 96 | 87 | 74 | 58 |
| Low °F | -1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 23 | 27 | 38 | 35 | 26 | 21 | -2 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.0 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 7.1 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. 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 Chaos Crags Viewpoint, closest first.
Volcano
Lake
Lake
Mountain PeakVolcanoVolcano
Mountain Peak
Lake
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Manzanita Lake Camping Cabins (Ca)2.0 km (1.2 mi) · reservable
- Manzanita Lake Group Campground2.2 km (1.3 mi) · reservable
- Manzanita Lake2.2 km (1.3 mi) · reservable
- Lost Creek Group3.3 km (2.0 mi) · reservable
- Summit Lake North11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chaos Crags Viewpoint?
What time is golden hour at Chaos Crags Viewpoint?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chaos Crags Viewpoint?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chaos Crags Viewpoint?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chaos Crags Viewpoint?
How far is Chaos Crags Viewpoint from Shingletown?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.