Big Sycamore Canyon — a canyon in Ventura County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 9.2 km (5.7 mi) SW of Casa Conejo.
Big Sycamore Canyon, often shortened to Sycamore Canyon, is a major feature of Point Mugu State Park, in Ventura County, California, United States. Sycamore Canyon is situated in the northernmost region of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area below the 3,000 feet (910 m) peaks of the Boney Mountain State Wilderness Area. The canyon begins on the north slope of Boney Mountain and heads north down the slope. The canyon then heads southwest past Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa to Sycamore Cove on the coastline. The canyon in the park is one of the riparian woodlands along the California coast. It contains a number of California sycamore trees. As a primary pathway through the Santa Monica Mountains between the Conejo Valley and the coast, Big Sycamore Canyon Trail is a popular trail. The sycamore-lined canyon is close to numerous trailheads, including the Backbone Trail. ...From the Wikipedia article “Big Sycamore Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Big Sycamore Canyon 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) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 61° ENE | 8:12 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:59 AM | 118° ESE | 4:51 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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
Canyons need light from above: rims glow at sunrise and sunset, while deep or narrow sections are brightest near midday when reflected light bounces off the walls.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:53 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 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 Big Sycamore Canyon, 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 | 4:34 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:54 PM – 3:54 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:30 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:25 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:28 PM – 10:28 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:26 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 ≈ 19.62 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 canyon
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- Check flash flood forecasts before entering slot or narrow canyons — rain miles away can flood them.
- Dust and sand are hard on gear; change lenses in a bag or with your back to the wind.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Wide and telephoto lenses, Lens blower, Weather radio or app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Big Sycamore Canyon, closest first.
State Park
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
State Park
Botanical Garden
Waterfall
Canyon
State Park
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Big Sycamore Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Big Sycamore Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Big Sycamore Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Big Sycamore Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Big Sycamore Canyon?
How far is Big Sycamore Canyon from Casa Conejo?
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.