Located in Riverside County, California, Reche Canyon is a canyon. It sits roughly 4.7 km (2.9 mi) NE of Moreno Valley.
Reche Canyon ( REH-chee)) (historically known as Homhoa Canyon, Homoa Canyon, and Homuba Canyon) is a canyon in the far northwestern foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains, northwest of The Badlands in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. The Tongva village of Homhoangna, from which the canyon's alternative names derives, was located here. The county line between San Bernardino County and Riverside County is at the approximate midway point of the canyon; the San Bernardino half to the north is mostly within the boundaries of Colton, with a small area in Loma Linda, while the southern half is unincorporated territory of Riverside County. Reche Canyon Elementary School is located in the northern part of the canyon.From the Wikipedia article “Reche Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Reche 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 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 61° ENE | 8:04 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:51 AM | 118° ESE | 4:44 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 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
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 | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:52 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 12m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:08 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:13 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:10 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 Reche 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:27 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:40 AM – 5:30 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:38 AM – 4:48 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:41 PM – 4:01 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:47 PM – 3:47 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:43 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:08 PM – 12:18 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:21 PM – 10:21 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:39 PM – 8:19 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: 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 ≈ 18.43 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 28% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (43%). August 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 | 85 | 85 | 87 | 93 | 95 | 97 | 100 | 98 | 102 | 101 | 91 | 82 |
| Low °F | 35 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 47 | 49 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 48 | 38 | 38 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 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 Reche Canyon, closest first.
Canyon
Botanical Garden
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakHot Spring
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Reche Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Reche Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Reche Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Reche Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Reche Canyon?
How far is Reche Canyon from Moreno Valley?
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.