Stilson Canyon — a canyon in Butte County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Chico, about 5.6 km (3.5 mi) away (Stilson Canyon lies E of town).
Stilson Canyon is a small gorge at the base of the Sierra Nevada in Butte County, California. Little Chico Creek which serves as the dividing line between the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the Cascade Range flows through it and passes by a small community of homes built along a portion of the canyon.From the Wikipedia article “Stilson Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Stilson Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 58° ENE | 8:39 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 121° ESE | 4:47 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 22m |
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 Stilson Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:25 AM – 3:55 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:29 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 2:11 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:46 PM – 12:06 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.14 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 10% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 74 | 74 | 79 | 84 | 100 | 108 | 109 | 106 | 108 | 99 | 85 | 69 |
| Low °F | 19 | 19 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 39 | 49 | 49 | 38 | 31 | 14 | 15 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.4 | 6.2 | 5.1 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 7.2 |
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 Stilson Canyon, closest first.
Covered Bridge
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Ghost Town
State Park
Waterfall
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Stilson Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Stilson Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Stilson Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Stilson Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Stilson Canyon?
How far is Stilson Canyon from Chico?
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.