Alta Toquima Wilderness is a wilderness area in Nye County, Nevada. The nearest town is Fallon, about 177 km (110 mi) away (Alta Toquima Wilderness lies ESE of town).
The Alta Toquima Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the Toquima Range of Nye County, in the central section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. It covers an area of 35,860 acres (14,510 ha), and is administered by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The Mount Jefferson Research Natural Area protects 4,953 acres (2,004 ha) around Mount Jefferson, the highest peak in the Toquima Range and Nye County. The Mount Jefferson Research Natural Area is one of the most unusual environments in the United States, due to its extreme alpine conditions. Wildlife is plentiful in the Wilderness, including bighorn sheep, deer, grouse, chukar and native trout.From the Wikipedia article “Alta Toquima Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Alta Toquima 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) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:24 AM | 59° ENE | 8:17 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 120° ESE | 4:30 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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 | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:03 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:10 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:04 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:42 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:28 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 28m |
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 Alta Toquima 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 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 4:55 AM – 5:05 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:04 AM – 5:24 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:00 AM – 4:30 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:01 AM – 3:41 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:13 PM – 3:23 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:06 PM – 1:56 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:23 PM – 11:53 PM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:28 PM – 9:48 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:39 PM – 7:59 PM | 0.3 | 12° | 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (55%). 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 | 64 | 67 | 76 | 83 | 93 | 101 | 102 | 99 | 96 | 85 | 72 | 63 |
| Low °F | -3 | 5 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 28 | 46 | 43 | 28 | 16 | 5 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
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
- 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.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- 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 Alta Toquima Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
Ghost Town
Wilderness Area
Hot SpringFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Alta Toquima Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Alta Toquima Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Alta Toquima Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Alta Toquima Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Alta Toquima Wilderness?
How far is Alta Toquima Wilderness from Fallon?
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.