Mount Charleston Wilderness — a wilderness area in Clark County, Nevada — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 30 km (19 mi) ENE of Pahrump.
The Mount Charleston Wilderness Area is located west of Las Vegas in the southern part of the state of Nevada in the western United States. It was created by the U.S. Congress in 1989 under the provisions allowed by the Wilderness Act of 1964, and is managed by both the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Charleston Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Charleston Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:47 AM | 90° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 60° ENE | 8:04 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:31 AM | 89° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:51 AM | 119° ESE | 4:32 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 41m |
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 | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 4:55 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 37m |
| July | 5:08 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 24m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:00 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 5:53 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:03 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:30 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 42m |
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 Charleston Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:31 AM – 5:01 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:46 AM – 5:26 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:38 AM – 4:28 AM | 2.8 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:44 PM – 3:54 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:53 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:47 PM – 2:07 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:10 PM – 12:00 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:19 PM – 9:59 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:34 PM – 8:04 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.14 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 (50%). 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 | 72 | 73 | 82 | 89 | 100 | 107 | 106 | 105 | 103 | 91 | 79 | 68 |
| Low °F | 8 | 16 | 22 | 23 | 31 | 38 | 55 | 51 | 37 | 20 | 19 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.8 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Charleston Wilderness, closest first.
Mountain Peak
WaterfallWaterfall
Mountain PeakWaterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
CanyonCanyonCanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Foxtail Grp Picnic Area1.3 km (0.8 mi) · reservable
- Mcwilliams2.1 km (1.3 mi) · reservable
- Mahogany Grove4.6 km (2.8 mi) · reservable
- Cathedral Rock Picnic Area4.9 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Hilltop5.3 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Charleston Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Mount Charleston Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Charleston Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Charleston Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Charleston Wilderness?
How far is Mount Charleston Wilderness from Pahrump?
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.