San Francisco Botanical Garden
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37.7683° N122.4700° W81 mBortle 8Los Angeles

San Francisco Botanical Garden Photography Guide

Botanical Garden in City and County of San Francisco, California · 81 m (266 ft)

  • Bortle 8 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: The original uploader was Berkbotanist at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 2.5 · source

Located in City and County of San Francisco, California, San Francisco Botanical Garden is a botanical garden at about 81 m (266 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 3.3 km (2.1 mi) NNE of Parkside.

The San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum (formerly Strybing Arboretum) is located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Its 55 acres (22.3 ha) represents nearly 9,000 different kinds of plants from around the world, with particular focus on Magnolia species, high elevation palms, conifers, and cloud forest species from Central America, South America and Southeast Asia. San Francisco's County Fair Building is located near the main entrance to the Garden. The San Francisco Botanical Garden is now one of the three locations of the Gardens of Golden Gate Park, along with the Japanese Tea Garden and the Conservatory of Flowers.From the Wikipedia article “San Francisco Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Elevation
81 m
266 ft
Nearest town
Parkside
3.3 km (2.1 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 8
City sky
Clearest month
October
44% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.3 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:58 PM
sunset 6:34 PM

Light at San Francisco Botanical Garden

Live
Sunrise
7:24 AM
Sunset
6:27 PM
Golden hour AM
7:07 AM – 8:00 AM
Golden hour PM
5:51 PM – 6:43 PM
Blue hour AM
6:57 AM – 7:07 AM
Blue hour PM
6:43 PM – 6:54 PM
Full darkness
7:55 PM – 5:57 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:37 PM / 1:37 AM
Day length
11h 03m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At San Francisco Botanical Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:14 AM90° E7:22 PM271° W52°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:49 AM59° ENE8:36 PM301° WNW76°14h 47m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:58 AM89° E7:08 PM271° W52°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:22 AM120° ESE4:55 PM241° WSW29°9h 33m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:56 AM7:25 AM8:04 AM4:35 PM5:15 PM5:44 PM9h 50m
February6:34 AM7:00 AM7:37 AM5:13 PM5:49 PM6:16 PM10h 49m
March6:56 AM7:22 AM7:57 AM6:43 PM7:17 PM7:44 PM11h 56m
April6:08 AM6:35 AM7:10 AM7:10 PM7:46 PM8:13 PM13h 10m
May5:31 AM6:01 AM6:38 AM7:36 PM8:13 PM8:43 PM14h 12m
June5:17 AM5:48 AM6:27 AM7:55 PM8:34 PM9:05 PM14h 46m
July5:30 AM6:01 AM6:39 AM7:54 PM8:32 PM9:03 PM14h 32m
August5:58 AM6:26 AM7:02 AM7:28 PM8:04 PM8:32 PM13h 38m
September6:26 AM6:53 AM7:27 AM6:45 PM7:19 PM7:46 PM12h 27m
October6:52 AM7:19 AM7:54 AM5:58 PM6:34 PM7:00 PM11h 15m
November6:23 AM6:51 AM7:30 AM4:21 PM5:00 PM5:28 PM10h 09m
December6:50 AM7:19 AM8:00 AM4:12 PM4:53 PM5:22 PM9h 34m

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 San Francisco Botanical Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:08 AM – 5:28 AM0.313°SE → SE
March4:15 AM – 5:45 AM1.520°SE → SSE
April2:19 AM – 4:59 AM2.723°SE → S
May12:18 AM – 4:08 AM3.823°SE → S
June10:29 PM – 3:49 AM5.323°SE → SW
July10:22 PM – 2:22 AM4.023°SSE → SW
August9:42 PM – 12:22 AM2.723°S → SW
September8:48 PM – 10:18 PM1.520°SSW → SW
October8:01 PM – 8:21 PM0.313°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
DecemberBelow 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.16 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F676976808788788594847865
Low °F364041434548515351473936
Precip. (in)3.43.72.91.60.60.20.10.10.11.02.24.4

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.
  • Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
  • 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 San Francisco Botanical Garden, closest first.

Huntington FallsWaterfall
Huntington Falls0.4 km away · City and County of San Francisco · 103 m
Rainbow FallsWaterfall
Rainbow Falls0.8 km away · City and County of San Francisco · 80 m
Conservatory of FlowersBotanical Garden
Conservatory of Flowers1.0 km away · City and County of San Francisco
Elk Glen LakeLake
Elk Glen Lake1.1 km away · City and County of San Francisco · 53 m
Lloyd LakeLake
Lloyd Lake1.1 km away · City and County of San Francisco · 59 m
Mount SutroMountain Peak
Mount Sutro1.6 km away · City and County of San Francisco · 278 m
Laguna Honda ReservoirLake
Laguna Honda Reservoir1.9 km away · City and County of San Francisco · 119 m
Lone MountainMountain Peak
Lone Mountain2.0 km away · City and County of San Francisco · 128 m
Spreckels LakeLake
Spreckels Lake2.1 km away · City and County of San Francisco · 42 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph San Francisco Botanical Garden?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
What time is golden hour at San Francisco Botanical Garden?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:58 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:34 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:54 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at San Francisco Botanical Garden?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from San Francisco Botanical Garden?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 8 (city sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Francisco Botanical Garden?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is San Francisco Botanical Garden from Parkside?
About 3.3 km (2.1 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.