Located in Franklin County, Washington, Juniper Dunes Wilderness is a wilderness area. It sits roughly 24 km (15 mi) NNE of Burbank.
The Juniper Dunes Wilderness is a protected wilderness area comprising 7,140 acres (28.9 km²) in Franklin County, Washington. Established in 1984, it is noteworthy for the northernmost growth of western juniper trees that live among the area's large sand dunes.From the Wikipedia article “Juniper Dunes Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Juniper Dunes Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:04 AM | 54° NE | 8:52 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 124° SE | 4:12 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 35m |
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:24 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 00m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 21m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:38 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 34m |
| May | 4:47 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:58 PM | 15h 00m |
| June | 4:24 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:50 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 47m |
| July | 4:41 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:04 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 27m |
| August | 5:22 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 12m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:44 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:57 PM | 9h 26m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:24 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:45 PM | 8h 37m |
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 Juniper Dunes Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:12 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:14 AM – 4:14 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:09 AM – 2:59 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:39 PM – 2:09 AM | 2.5 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:17 PM – 12:57 AM | 1.7 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:06 PM – 10:56 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 8:52 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.18 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 26% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (79%). 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 | 63 | 64 | 76 | 88 | 98 | 108 | 108 | 108 | 103 | 85 | 70 | 63 |
| Low °F | -3 | 7 | 14 | 27 | 33 | 43 | 50 | 48 | 35 | 20 | 14 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.9 |
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.
- 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 Juniper Dunes Wilderness, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Ghost Town
Rock Formation
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Fishhook Park11.0 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Charbonneau Park And Campground15.2 km (9.4 mi) · reservable
- Hood Park23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Windust Park26 km (16 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Juniper Dunes Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Juniper Dunes Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Juniper Dunes Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Juniper Dunes Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Juniper Dunes Wilderness?
How far is Juniper Dunes Wilderness from Burbank?
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.