Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach is a beach in Del Norte County, California. It lies in or next to Redwood National and State Parks, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 2.9 km (1.8 mi) SSE of Bertsch-Oceanview.
From the National Park Service
Location : Redwood National Park Trailhead : Crescent Beach picnic area on Enderts Beach Road off Hwy 101. Mileage : 3.5 Dogs: No Bicycles: No Horses: No
This is a flat, meandering, kid-friendly trail that leads to a pleasant stretch of beach, perfect for beachcombing or an extended walk. Colossal Sitka spruce highlight the walk, and Roosevelt elk regularly graze in the open prairie areas adjacent to the beach. Please remember that elk are wild and can get defensive if threatened.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 57° ENE | 8:55 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 122° ESE | 4:50 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 09m |
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
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 11m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 10m |
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 Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:47 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:48 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:46 AM – 3:56 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:55 PM – 2:05 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.18 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 60% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 63 | 64 | 66 | 70 | 73 | 77 | 73 | 80 | 73 | 63 | 62 |
| Low °F | 38 | 39 | 37 | 41 | 44 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 49 | 44 | 42 | 37 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 7.2 | 11.6 |
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 beach
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is CRESCENT CITY, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Covered Bridge
Natural Arch
Lake
State Park
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mill Creek Campground - Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park5.1 km (3.2 mi)
- Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park9.3 km (5.8 mi)
- Panther Flat Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Grassy Flat Campground26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Patrick Creek Campground30 km (19 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach?
What time is golden hour at Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach?
How far is Coastal Trail: Crescent Beach from Bertsch-Oceanview?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service, USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.