Located in Yolo County, California, University of California, Davis, Arboretum and Public Garden is a botanical garden. It sits roughly 1.6 km (1.0 mi) SW of Davis.
The University of California, Davis Arboretum (UC Davis Arboretum) is an approximately 100-acre (0.40 km2) arboretum along the banks of the old north channel of Putah Creek on the south side of the University of California, Davis campus in unincorporated Yolo County, California, in the United States. The arboretum was founded in 1936. It is free to visit and the gardens are open 24 hours a day every day of the year; visitor parking is free Saturdays and Sundays and $10 per car every other day. The Arboretum contains 3.5 miles (5.6 km) paved path loop for pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists. The collection includes some "22,000 trees and plants adapted to a Mediterranean climate." The collection may be searched through the Arbortetum's online database, which includes detailed information about the plants and geographic information system data linked to plant records. The Arboretum is...From the Wikipedia article “University of California, Davis Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At University of California, Davis, Arboretum and Public 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 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 59° ENE | 8:35 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:50 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 30m |
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 University of California, Davis, Arboretum and Public Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:59 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:41 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:14 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:11 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 18.46 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 11% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 77 | 83 | 93 | 107 | 112 | 116 | 112 | 115 | 107 | 87 | 76 |
| Low °F | 24 | 26 | 29 | 33 | 38 | 45 | 51 | 52 | 47 | 40 | 26 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 4.5 |
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
- 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.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 University of California, Davis, Arboretum and Public Garden, closest first.
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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.