Located in Trinity County, California, Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness is a wilderness area. The nearest town is Covelo, about 30 km (19 mi) away (Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness lies N of town).
The Yolla Bolly–Middle Eel Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in the Yolla Bolly Range of the southern Klamath Mountains and the Inner Northern California Coast Ranges, in Northern California.From the Wikipedia article “Yolla Bolly–Middle Eel Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 58° ENE | 8:46 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 121° ESE | 4:51 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 19m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 38m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 24m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:17 PM | 15h 00m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 45m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 20m |
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 Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:20 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 4:02 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:47 PM – 3:37 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:39 PM – 2:09 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 12:13 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 10:05 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:15 PM | 0.2 | 11° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec².
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 (64%). 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 | 71 | 72 | 86 | 86 | 94 | 104 | 105 | 103 | 105 | 96 | 83 | 71 |
| Low °F | 20 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 30 | 35 | 43 | 43 | 35 | 29 | 22 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 5.9 | 10.8 |
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.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- 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 Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness?
How far is Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness from Covelo?
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.