College of the Desert Arboretum — a botanical garden in Riverside County, California — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Palm Desert, about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) away (College of the Desert Arboretum lies NW of town).
College of the Desert (COD) is a public community college in Palm Desert, California. COD enrolls about 12,500 students, of which around one third attend college full-time. It serves the Coachella Valley of Riverside County. The college is federally recognized as a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI), receiving Title V grants.From the Wikipedia article “College of the Desert”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At College of the Desert Arboretum 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 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 61° ENE | 8:00 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:47 AM | 118° ESE | 4:42 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:56 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 54m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:19 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:10 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 56m |
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 College of the Desert Arboretum, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:25 AM – 5:05 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:27 AM – 5:27 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:35 AM – 4:45 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:37 PM – 4:07 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:43 PM – 3:43 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:39 PM – 2:19 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:05 PM – 12:15 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:18 PM – 10:18 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:36 PM – 8:16 PM | 0.7 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.42 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (41%). 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 | 84 | 90 | 94 | 100 | 109 | 117 | 118 | 115 | 115 | 104 | 92 | 82 |
| Low °F | 26 | 28 | 33 | 37 | 42 | 48 | 59 | 56 | 48 | 40 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
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 botanical garden
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of College of the Desert Arboretum, closest first.
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Waterfall
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
CanyonWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Pinyon Flat Campground (San Bernardino National Forest)17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
- Pinyon Flat Campground17.7 km (11.0 mi)
- Ribbonwood Equestrian Cg18.6 km (11.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph College of the Desert Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at College of the Desert Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at College of the Desert Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from College of the Desert Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at College of the Desert Arboretum?
How far is College of the Desert Arboretum from Palm Desert?
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.