Mokelumne Wilderness — a wilderness area in Alpine County, California — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 39 km (24 mi) S of South Lake Tahoe.
The Mokelumne Wilderness is a 105,165-acre (164 sq mi; 426 km2) federally designated wilderness area located 70 miles (110 km) east of Sacramento, California. It is within the boundaries of three national forests: Stanislaus, Eldorado and Toiyabe. First protected under the Wilderness Act of 1964, the Mokelumne's borders were expanded under the California Wilderness Act of 1984 with the addition of 55,000 acres. The wilderness takes its name from the Mokelumne River, which was named after a Mi-wok Indian village located on the riverbank in California's Central Valley. The wilderness encompasses an area of the Sierra Nevada mountain range between Ebbetts Pass and Carson Pass. There are two sections separated by the Blue Lakes Road and an Off-Road Vehicle corridor. Elevations range from 4,000 feet (1,200 m) to 10,381 feet (3,164 m). The highest point is Round Top (10,364 feet), a...From the Wikipedia article “Mokelumne Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mokelumne 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 302° (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) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 59° ENE | 8:28 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Mokelumne 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 4:57 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 4:41 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:12 AM – 3:52 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:24 PM – 3:34 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:17 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:11 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 ≈ 21.55 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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Mokelumne Wilderness, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Mountain Pass
Hot Spring
State ParkScenic Viewpoint
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mosquito Lakes Campground9.4 km (5.8 mi)
- (Lake Alpine) Pine Marten11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- (Lake Alpine) Silver Valley Campground11.5 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Woods Lake Campground11.8 km (7.3 mi)
- (Lake Alpine) Silver Tip Campground11.8 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mokelumne Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Mokelumne Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mokelumne Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mokelumne Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mokelumne Wilderness?
How far is Mokelumne Wilderness from South Lake Tahoe?
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.