A picture of Mount Shasta taken on August 4, 2007 on en:Lake Siskiyou, just west of Mount Shasta city, about 12 miles west of the Mount Shasta summit.
  1. Home
  2. Wilderness Areas
  3. California
  4. Siskiyou County
  5. Mount Shasta Wilderness
41.4189° N122.2070° WBortle 2Los Angeles

Mount Shasta Wilderness Photography Guide

Wilderness Area in Siskiyou County, California

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 239°–303°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: KyleAndMelissa22 at English Wikipedia · Public domain · source

Mount Shasta Wilderness is a wilderness area in Siskiyou County, California. It sits roughly 14.9 km (9.3 mi) NE of Mount Shasta.

The Mount Shasta Wilderness is a 38,200-acre (155 km2; 59.7 mi2) federally designated wilderness area located 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Mount Shasta City in northern California. The US Congress passed the 1984 California Wilderness Act that set aside the Mount Shasta Wilderness. The US Forest Service is the managing agency as the wilderness is within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The area is named for and is dominated by the Mount Shasta volcano which reaches a traditionally quoted height of 14,162 feet (4,317 m) above sea level, but official sources give values ranging from 14,104 feet (4,299 m) from one USGS project, to 14,179 feet (4,322 m) via the NOAA. Mount Shasta is one of only two peaks in the state over 14,000 feet (4,300 m) outside the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The other summit is White Mountain Peak in the Great Basin of east-central California. The Wintun...From the Wikipedia article “Mount Shasta Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Mount Shasta
14.9 km (9.3 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
July
17% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:52 PM
sunset 6:29 PM

Light at Mount Shasta Wilderness

Live
Sunrise
7:27 AM
Sunset
6:22 PM
Golden hour AM
7:10 AM – 8:05 AM
Golden hour PM
5:44 PM – 6:39 PM
Blue hour AM
6:59 AM – 7:10 AM
Blue hour PM
6:39 PM – 6:50 PM
Full darkness
7:54 PM – 5:56 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:42 PM / 1:28 AM
Day length
10h 55m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Mount Shasta Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:13 AM90° E7:21 PM271° W48°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:36 AM57° ENE8:47 PM303° WNW72°15h 10m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:57 AM89° E7:08 PM271° W49°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:32 AM121° ESE4:43 PM239° WSW25°9h 11m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:03 AM7:33 AM8:16 AM4:22 PM5:04 PM5:35 PM9h 31m
February6:36 AM7:05 AM7:43 AM5:04 PM5:43 PM6:11 PM10h 38m
March6:54 AM7:21 AM7:58 AM6:39 PM7:16 PM7:43 PM11h 54m
April6:01 AM6:30 AM7:07 AM7:12 PM7:49 PM8:18 PM13h 20m
May5:19 AM5:51 AM6:30 AM7:42 PM8:21 PM8:53 PM14h 31m
June5:02 AM5:36 AM6:17 AM8:03 PM8:45 PM9:19 PM15h 09m
July5:16 AM5:49 AM6:30 AM8:01 PM8:42 PM9:15 PM14h 53m
August5:49 AM6:19 AM6:57 AM7:32 PM8:10 PM8:40 PM13h 51m
September6:22 AM6:50 AM7:27 AM6:43 PM7:20 PM7:48 PM12h 30m
October6:53 AM7:21 AM7:59 AM5:52 PM6:29 PM6:57 PM11h 08m
November6:29 AM6:58 AM7:39 AM4:09 PM4:50 PM5:20 PM9h 52m
December6:58 AM7:29 AM8:13 AM3:57 PM4:41 PM5:12 PM9h 12m

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 Mount Shasta Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:26 AM – 5:26 AM0.010°SE → SE
March4:38 AM – 5:38 AM1.016°SE → SSE
April2:39 AM – 4:39 AM2.019°SE → S
May12:37 AM – 3:47 AM3.220°SE → S
June10:55 PM – 3:25 AM4.520°SSE → SSW
July10:45 PM – 1:55 AM3.220°S → SW
August9:55 PM – 11:55 PM2.019°S → SW
September8:54 PM – 9:54 PM1.016°SSW → SW
October8:01 PM – 8:01 PM0.010°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (65%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F616368758798105104100907858
Low °F-7213202429403830217-2
Precip. (in)4.54.94.32.61.90.80.20.20.62.03.86.5

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

  • 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.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

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 Mount Shasta Wilderness, closest first.

Mount ShastaMountain Peak
Mount Shasta1.5 km away · Siskiyou County · 4,303 m
ShastinaMountain Peak
Shastina1.8 km away · Siskiyou County · 3,740 m
Waterfall
Coquette Falls3.2 km away · Siskiyou County · 2,435 m
Waterfall
Whitney Falls5.5 km away · Siskiyou County · 2,025 m
Waterfall
Ash Creek Falls6.1 km away · Siskiyou County · 2,205 m
Black ButteMountain Peak
Black Butte13 km away · Siskiyou County · 1,903 m
Mossbrae FallsWaterfall
Mossbrae Falls20 km away · Siskiyou County · 771 m
Waterfall
Faery Falls21 km away · Siskiyou County · 999 m
Hedge Creek FallsWaterfall
Hedge Creek Falls21 km away · Siskiyou County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Mount Shasta Wilderness?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at Mount Shasta Wilderness?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:52 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:29 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:59 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Shasta Wilderness?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 57° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 303° to 239°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Shasta Wilderness?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Shasta Wilderness?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Mount Shasta Wilderness from Mount Shasta?
About 14.9 km (9.3 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.