Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness — a wilderness area in San Bernardino County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Twentynine Palms, about 26 km (16 mi) away (Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness lies ENE of town).
The Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness is a 39,167-acre (158.50 km2) wilderness area in the southern Mojave Desert. It is located 16 miles (26 km) northeast of Twentynine Palms, California, and 20 miles (32 km) north of Joshua Tree National Park. It is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Named for the dry lakes found at the center of the wilderness area, this area has a variety of natural resources. The east portion is mountainous while the west portion is a vast alluvial fan and bajada. Elevations range from 1,400 feet (430 m) at the desert floor to the rugged Bullion Mountains, which rise more than 4,100 feet (1,200 m) across a 4-mile (6.4 km) stretch.From the Wikipedia article “Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cleghorn Lakes 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) | 6:48 AM | 90° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:32 AM | 61° ENE | 7:59 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:32 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:46 AM | 118° ESE | 4:38 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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 | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:04 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 26m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:02 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:07 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 53m |
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 Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:21 AM – 5:01 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:35 AM – 5:25 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:33 AM – 4:33 AM | 3.0 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:36 PM – 3:56 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:42 PM – 3:42 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:38 PM – 2:18 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:03 PM – 12:13 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:16 PM – 10:16 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:33 PM – 8:13 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.42 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (42%). 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 | 86 | 86 | 94 | 102 | 112 | 117 | 119 | 117 | 115 | 105 | 92 | 79 |
| Low °F | 24 | 26 | 30 | 37 | 43 | 54 | 64 | 60 | 51 | 36 | 28 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
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 Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness?
How far is Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness from Twentynine Palms?
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.