Located in Grant County, Oregon, North Fork John Day Wilderness is a wilderness area. The nearest town is La Grande, about 60 km (37 mi) away (North Fork John Day Wilderness lies SW of town).
The North Fork John Day Wilderness is a wilderness area within the Umatilla and Wallowa–Whitman National Forests in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon. The wilderness consists of four separate units: the main 85,000-acre (34,000 ha) unit of the North Fork John Day drainage; the Greenhorn Unit to the south; the Tower Mountain Unit to the north; and the Baldy Creek Unit to the east. Approximately 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) of the Vinegar Hill-Indian Rock Scenic Area also lie within the wilderness. The North Fork John Day Wilderness is located within the larger Elkhorn Fire Management Area, and the area's fire plan allows for the use of Prescribed Natural Fire under certain circumstances.From the Wikipedia article “North Fork John Day Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At North Fork John Day Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:09 AM | 55° NE | 8:45 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 123° ESE | 4:16 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:16 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 10m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 50m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:53 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:20 PM | 15h 35m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 16m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:37 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:27 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:15 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:14 PM | 4:48 PM | 8h 48m |
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 North Fork John Day Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 4:58 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:57 AM – 4:17 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:55 AM – 3:05 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:16 PM – 2:26 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:59 PM – 1:09 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 11:07 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 9:07 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.9 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 27% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 54 | 55 | 71 | 80 | 90 | 98 | 104 | 99 | 98 | 88 | 66 | 55 |
| Low °F | -12 | -2 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 28 | 36 | 34 | 26 | 10 | 0 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
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.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- 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 North Fork John Day Wilderness, closest first.
Lake
Hot Spring
Ghost Town
Lake
Waterfall
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- North Fork John Day Campground (Or)14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Olive Lake Campground (Or)14.9 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Caretakers Cabin15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Miners Retreat15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Congo Gulch15.0 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph North Fork John Day Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at North Fork John Day Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at North Fork John Day Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from North Fork John Day Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at North Fork John Day Wilderness?
How far is North Fork John Day Wilderness from La Grande?
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.