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34.1808° N117.7531° W562 mBortle 7Los Angeles

East Fork San Dimas Canyon Photography Guide

Canyon in Los Angeles County, California · 562 m (1,844 ft)

  • Bortle 7 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

East Fork San Dimas Canyon — a canyon in Los Angeles County, California at about 562 m (1,844 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is La Verne, about 9.0 km (5.6 mi) away (East Fork San Dimas Canyon lies N of town).

Elevation
562 m
1,844 ft
Nearest town
La Verne
9.0 km (5.6 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 7
Suburban / urban transition
Clearest month
September
14% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:44 PM
sunset 6:18 PM

Light at East Fork San Dimas Canyon

Live
Sunrise
7:01 AM
Sunset
6:12 PM
Golden hour AM
6:46 AM – 7:35 AM
Golden hour PM
5:38 PM – 6:28 PM
Blue hour AM
6:36 AM – 6:46 AM
Blue hour PM
6:28 PM – 6:37 PM
Full darkness
7:36 PM – 5:38 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:12 PM / 1:24 AM
Day length
11h 11m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
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 East Fork San Dimas 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:55 AM90° E7:03 PM271° W56°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:40 AM61° ENE8:07 PM300° WNW79°14h 26m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:40 AM89° E6:49 PM271° W56°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)6:54 AM118° ESE4:46 PM242° WSW32°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:30 AM6:57 AM7:35 AM4:27 PM5:05 PM5:32 PM10h 07m
February6:11 AM6:37 AM7:11 AM5:01 PM5:35 PM6:01 PM10h 58m
March6:37 AM7:02 AM7:35 AM6:26 PM6:59 PM7:24 PM11h 57m
April5:55 AM6:20 AM6:54 AM6:49 PM7:23 PM7:49 PM13h 02m
May5:22 AM5:50 AM6:26 AM7:11 PM7:46 PM8:14 PM13h 56m
June5:10 AM5:40 AM6:17 AM7:28 PM8:05 PM8:34 PM14h 25m
July5:22 AM5:51 AM6:27 AM7:28 PM8:04 PM8:33 PM14h 13m
August5:47 AM6:13 AM6:47 AM7:05 PM7:40 PM8:06 PM13h 26m
September6:10 AM6:35 AM7:08 AM6:26 PM6:59 PM7:24 PM12h 24m
October6:32 AM6:57 AM7:31 AM5:44 PM6:18 PM6:43 PM11h 21m
November5:58 AM6:25 AM7:01 AM4:12 PM4:48 PM5:15 PM10h 23m
December6:23 AM6:50 AM7:29 AM4:05 PM4:44 PM5:11 PM9h 53m

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 East Fork San Dimas 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February4:29 AM – 5:09 AM0.716°SE → SE
March3:43 AM – 5:33 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April1:41 AM – 4:41 AM3.027°SE → S
May11:44 PM – 4:04 AM4.327°SE → SSW
June9:50 PM – 3:50 AM6.027°SE → SW
July9:46 PM – 2:26 AM4.727°SSE → SW
August9:11 PM – 12:21 AM3.227°S → SW
September8:24 PM – 10:24 PM2.024°SSW → SW
October7:41 PM – 8:21 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 18.82 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F77828793103110111109109988678
Low °F222224273540514840332420
Precip. (in)1.82.01.10.60.20.00.20.10.10.50.81.8

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 canyon

  • 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.
  • A long lens on a tripod handles the low light inside canyons better than raising ISO.
  • 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 road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

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 East Fork San Dimas Canyon, closest first.

Canyon
Wolfskill Canyon0.6 km away · Los Angeles County
Waterfall
Wolfskill Falls0.6 km away · Los Angeles County · 618 m
Canyon
Fern Canyon2.1 km away · Los Angeles County
Canyon
Lodi Canyon3.8 km away · Los Angeles County
Canyon
Bell Canyon4.1 km away · Los Angeles County
California Botanic GardenBotanical Garden
California Botanic Garden8.4 km away · Los Angeles County
John R. Rodman ArboretumBotanical Garden
John R. Rodman Arboretum9.6 km away · San Bernardino County
Waterfall
San Antonio Falls15 km away · San Bernardino County · 2,011 m
Mount San AntonioMountain Peak
Mount San Antonio15 km away · San Bernardino County · 3,062 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph East Fork San Dimas Canyon?
September 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 and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
What time is golden hour at East Fork San Dimas Canyon?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:44 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:18 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:31 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at East Fork San Dimas Canyon?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from East Fork San Dimas Canyon?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at East Fork San Dimas Canyon?
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 East Fork San Dimas Canyon from La Verne?
About 9.0 km (5.6 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.