Rincon Beach County Park — a beach in Ventura County, California — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 4.1 km (2.5 mi) SE of Carpinteria.
Rincon (Spanish, "angle" or "corner") is a surf spot located at the Ventura and Santa Barbara County line in Southern California, United States. Also known as the "Queen of the Coast", Rincon is one of the most famous surf spots in California, known around the world for its well-formed waves and long rides. The book 100 Best Surf Spots in the World rates Rincon at 24. It is best at low tide during the winter months when swells are coming mostly from the west and northwest. There is a gated residential community that occupies most of the Rincon beachfront. Public access is provided at parking lots on both sides of the gated community, with restrooms and a picnic area in the upper parking lot, Rincon Beach Park.From the Wikipedia article “Rincon (surfspot)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rincon Beach County Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 61° ENE | 8:14 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:01 AM | 118° ESE | 4:52 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 51m |
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 | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 26m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 52m |
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 Rincon Beach County Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:50 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:48 AM – 4:48 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:52 PM – 4:12 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:59 PM – 3:59 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:54 PM – 2:34 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:19 PM – 12:29 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 8:28 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.86 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (43%). 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 | 82 | 83 | 85 | 93 | 99 | 108 | 109 | 106 | 111 | 100 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 25 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 35 | 43 | 48 | 50 | 42 | 37 | 29 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.3 |
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
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Rincon Island, Mussel Shoals, 4.9 km (3.0 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Rincon Beach County Park, closest first.
State Park
Lake
Beach
Hot Spring
Beach
State Park
Botanical GardenHot Spring
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rincon Beach County Park?
What time is golden hour at Rincon Beach County Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rincon Beach County Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rincon Beach County Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rincon Beach County Park?
How far is Rincon Beach County Park from Carpinteria?
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.