John R. Rodman Arboretum — a botanical garden in San Bernardino County, California — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.6 km (1.0 mi) ENE of Claremont.
Pitzer College is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was founded in 1963 as a women's college in the Claremont Colleges consortium and became coeducational in 1970. Pitzer enrolls approximately 1000 students. Pitzer offers 41 majors and 22 minors, many of them cross-disciplinary. The college has a curricular emphasis on the social sciences, behavioral sciences, international programs, and media studies. Pitzer is known for its social justice culture and experimental pedagogical approach. Pitzer competes in the NCAA Division III's Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) in a joint athletic program with Pomona College (another consortium member) as the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens. Notable alumni include federal officials, authors, and various figures in the entertainment industry. Pitzer is a top producer of Fulbright US Student Program awardees.From the Wikipedia article “Pitzer College”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At John R. Rodman 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 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 61° ENE | 8:06 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:53 AM | 118° ESE | 4:46 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 53m |
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 | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:31 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:58 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 54m |
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 John R. Rodman 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 8 (city 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 | 4:29 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:42 AM – 5:32 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:40 AM – 4:50 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:43 PM – 4:03 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:49 PM – 3:49 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:45 PM – 2:25 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:10 PM – 12:20 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:23 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:41 PM – 8:21 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.04 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (44%). 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 | 77 | 82 | 87 | 93 | 103 | 110 | 111 | 109 | 109 | 98 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 22 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 35 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 40 | 33 | 24 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
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
- 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.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 John R. Rodman Arboretum, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Canyon
WaterfallCanyonCanyonCanyonCanyon
State Park
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Coldbrook Campground24 km (15 mi)
- Applewhite Campground26 km (16 mi)
- Applewhite Campground (Ca)26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Crystal Lake27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Deer Group Camp28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph John R. Rodman Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at John R. Rodman Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at John R. Rodman Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from John R. Rodman Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at John R. Rodman Arboretum?
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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.