High Schells Wilderness is a wilderness area in White Pine County, Nevada. The nearest town is McGill, about 17.1 km (10.6 mi) away (High Schells Wilderness lies ESE of town).
The High Schells Wilderness is a 121,497-acre (49,168 ha) wilderness area in the Schell Creek Range of White Pine County, in the U.S. state of Nevada. The Wilderness lies within the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and is therefore administered by the U.S. Forest Service.From the Wikipedia article “High Schells Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At High Schells Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:43 AM | 90° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 58° ENE | 8:09 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 57m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:27 AM | 89° E | 6:37 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:56 AM | 120° ESE | 4:19 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 23m |
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 | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:38 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:12 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:34 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:38 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:16 PM | 14h 20m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 56m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 41m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 5:54 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:15 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:03 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:54 PM | 10h 02m |
| December | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:34 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:47 PM | 9h 25m |
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 High Schells Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 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 | 4:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:55 AM – 5:15 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:51 AM – 4:21 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 3:33 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:07 PM – 3:07 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 9:59 PM – 1:39 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 11:45 PM | 2.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:19 PM – 9:39 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:30 PM – 7:40 PM | 0.2 | 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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 61 | 74 | 81 | 91 | 98 | 101 | 99 | 95 | 83 | 71 | 58 |
| Low °F | -18 | -3 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 27 | 43 | 41 | 26 | 10 | -1 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
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.
- 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
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 High Schells Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
Wilderness Area
Natural ArchNatural Arch
Mountain PeakWilderness Area
Ghost Town
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Timber Creek Campground7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Bird Creek Campground14.5 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
- Cleve Creek Campground15.0 km (9.3 mi)
- East Creek Campground18.1 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph High Schells Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at High Schells Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at High Schells Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from High Schells Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at High Schells Wilderness?
How far is High Schells Wilderness from McGill?
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.