West Wildlife Overlook is a scenic viewpoint in Siskiyou County, California at about 1,235 m (4,052 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 46 km (29 mi) SSE of Altamont.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At West Wildlife Overlook 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 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:32 AM | 57° ENE | 8:45 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 122° ESE | 4:39 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 33m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:12 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 09m |
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 West Wildlife Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 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 | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:36 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:37 AM – 4:37 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:35 AM – 3:45 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 10:54 PM – 3:14 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 1:54 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 11:53 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 9:52 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 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 July as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 63 | 63 | 72 | 80 | 89 | 98 | 103 | 100 | 98 | 90 | 76 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | -2 | 9 | 10 | 22 | 29 | 39 | 39 | 29 | 19 | 0 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 5.0 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of West Wildlife Overlook, closest first.
Natural Arch
Scenic ViewpointNatural Arch
Lake
VolcanoNatural ArchVolcanoNatural Arch
CaveCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph West Wildlife Overlook?
What time is golden hour at West Wildlife Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at West Wildlife Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from West Wildlife Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at West Wildlife Overlook?
How far is West Wildlife Overlook from Altamont?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.