Jennie Lakes Wilderness is a wilderness area in Tulare County, California. It lies in or next to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Three Rivers, about 31 km (19 mi) away (Jennie Lakes Wilderness lies NNE of town).
Jennie Lakes Wilderness is a protected area in the Sierra Nevada, in Tulare County, California. It is located 60 miles (97 km) east of Fresno and managed by the US Forest Service. Jennie Lakes Wilderness is about nine square miles within the Sequoia National Forest, that was established by the California Wilderness Act of 1984, and added to the National Wilderness Preservation System.From the Wikipedia article “Jennie Lakes Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jennie Lakes Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 60° ENE | 8:18 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:05 AM | 119° ESE | 4:43 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 39m |
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 | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:12 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 40m |
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 Jennie Lakes Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | 4:43 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:59 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:51 AM – 4:41 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:58 PM – 3:58 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:08 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 2:12 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:23 PM – 12:13 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:32 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:16 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.65 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 February as the cloudiest (53%). 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 | 70 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 90 | 99 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 88 | 81 | 70 |
| Low °F | 3 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 24 | 28 | 44 | 39 | 29 | 22 | 9 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 3.5 |
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
- 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.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Jennie Lakes Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Fire Lookout
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Cave
WaterfallScenic Viewpoint
Cave
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Big Meadow Campground - Us Forest Service Sequoia National Forest (Ca)5.3 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Big Meadows Cabin (Ca)5.7 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Upper Stony Creek Campground5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Stony Creek Sequoia5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Cove Group6.3 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jennie Lakes Wilderness?
How far is Jennie Lakes Wilderness from Three Rivers?
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.