Chumash Wilderness is a wilderness area in Kern County, California. It sits roughly 3.7 km (2.3 mi) SSW of Pine Mountain Club.
The Chumash Wilderness is a 38,150 acres (15,440 ha) wilderness area within the southern Los Padres National Forest. It is located in the Transverse Ranges, in northern Ventura County and southwestern Kern County in California. The wilderness was created by the United States Congress as part of the Los Padres Condor Range and River Protection Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–301). The same legislation also established the Garcia, Machesna Mountain, Matilija, Sespe, and Silver Peak Wilderness areas.From the Wikipedia article “Chumash Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chumash Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 61° ENE | 8:14 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:01 AM | 118° ESE | 4:50 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:18 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 50m |
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 Chumash Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:35 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:48 AM – 4:48 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:52 PM – 4:12 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:59 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:54 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:19 PM – 12:29 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:47 PM – 8:27 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.96 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (43%). 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 | 82 | 83 | 85 | 93 | 99 | 108 | 109 | 106 | 111 | 100 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 25 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 35 | 43 | 48 | 50 | 42 | 37 | 29 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.3 |
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 wilderness area
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Chumash Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Mountain Pass
Scenic Viewpoint
Hot Spring
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Campo Alto Campground3.8 km (2.4 mi) · reservable
- Mt. Pinos Campground5.9 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Mcgill Campground And Group Campground6.3 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Chuchupate Campground15.5 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Reyes Creek Campground19.9 km (12.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chumash Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Chumash Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chumash Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chumash Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chumash Wilderness?
How far is Chumash Wilderness from Pine Mountain Club?
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.