Emigrant Wilderness is a wilderness area in Tuolumne County, California. It is part of Stanislaus National Forest. It sits roughly 44 km (27 mi) ENE of Twain Harte.
The Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest is a formally designated wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada. It is bordered by Yosemite National Park on the south, the Toiyabe National Forest and the Hoover Wilderness on the east, and State Route 108 over Sonora Pass on the north. It is an elongated area that extends northeast about 25 miles (40 km) in length and up to 15 miles (24 km) in width. Watersheds drain to the Stanislaus and Tuolumne Rivers. The Emigrant Wilderness area, which is a glaciated landscape, is entirely within Tuolumne County, California and is approximately 140 miles (230 km) east of San Francisco, California and 50 miles (80 km) south of Lake Tahoe.From the Wikipedia article “Emigrant Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Emigrant Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 59° ENE | 8:26 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Emigrant Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:57 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:04 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:09 AM – 4:39 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:09 AM – 3:59 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:21 PM – 3:31 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:14 PM – 2:14 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:10 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.62 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 61 | 66 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 98 | 93 | 92 | 83 | 71 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | -6 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 22 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 |
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
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Emigrant Wilderness, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
LakeScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallWaterfall
Lake
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Deadman Campground14.7 km (9.2 mi)
- Baker Campground15.7 km (9.7 mi)
- Herring Creek Campground16.1 km (10.0 mi)
- Eureka Valley Campground17.1 km (10.6 mi)
- Pigeon Flat Campground17.5 km (10.9 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Emigrant Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Emigrant Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Emigrant Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Emigrant Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Emigrant Wilderness?
How far is Emigrant Wilderness from Twain Harte?
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.