Hoover Wilderness is a wilderness area in Mono County, California. The nearest town is Yosemite Valley, about 45 km (28 mi) away (Hoover Wilderness lies NNE of town).
The Hoover Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Inyo and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests. It lies to the east of the crest of the central Sierra Nevada in California, to the north and east of Yosemite National Park - a long strip stretching nearly to Sonora Pass on the north and Tioga Pass on the south. The headwaters of the Walker River are in the Hoover Wilderness. Many trails lead into it from the north and east, from Leavitt Meadow (off the Sonora Pass road), Buckeye Creek, Green Creek, Virginia Lakes, Lundy Lake, and Saddlebag Lake (off the Tioga Pass road). The Hoover Wilderness was originally designated as a Primitive Area by the Forest Service in 1931. It was named in honor of President Herbert Hoover. In 1956, it was designated as a Wild Area and became a Wilderness Area when the 1964 Wilderness Act was passed. It was significantly expanded to its present size in...From the Wikipedia article “Hoover Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hoover 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 241° (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) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 59° ENE | 8:25 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:11 AM | 120° ESE | 4:42 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 9h 31m |
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 | 6:44 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:49 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:09 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 Hoover Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:56 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:03 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:08 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:07 AM – 3:57 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:19 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:12 PM – 2:12 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:31 PM – 12:11 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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 ≈ 21.74 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
- 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.
- 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 Hoover Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Lake
Mountain PeakWaterfall
Hot Spring
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lower Twin Lakes At Bridgeport7.8 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- Paha8.6 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Green Creek Group8.8 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- Crags Campground9.3 km (5.8 mi) · reservable
- Robinson Creek North9.6 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hoover Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Hoover Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hoover Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hoover Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hoover Wilderness?
How far is Hoover Wilderness from Yosemite Valley?
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.