Will Rogers State Beach
  1. Home
  2. Canyons
  3. California
  4. Los Angeles County
  5. Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County
34.0358° N118.5353° WBortle 8Los Angeles

Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County Photography Guide

Canyon in Los Angeles County, California

  • Bortle 8 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–299°
  • Clearest: August
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: JCS · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County is a canyon in Los Angeles County, California. It sits roughly 1.6 km (1.0 mi) SSW of Pacific Palisades.

Temescal Canyon (Temescal, Spanish for "sweat lodge") is a valley lying in Pacific Palisades within the Los Angeles County portion of the Santa Monica Mountains in California. Head of Canyon 34°06′21″N 118°32′27″W Mouth of Canyon 34°02′09″N 118°32′07″WFrom the Wikipedia article “Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Pacific Palisades
1.6 km (1.0 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 8
City sky
Clearest month
August
14% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:47 PM
sunset 6:21 PM

Light at Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County

Live
Sunrise
7:04 AM
Sunset
6:15 PM
Golden hour AM
6:48 AM – 7:38 AM
Golden hour PM
5:41 PM – 6:31 PM
Blue hour AM
6:38 AM – 6:48 AM
Blue hour PM
6:31 PM – 6:40 PM
Full darkness
7:39 PM – 5:41 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:15 PM / 1:27 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 Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:59 AM90° E7:06 PM271° W56°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:44 AM61° ENE8:09 PM299° WNW79°14h 25m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:43 AM89° E6:52 PM271° W56°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)6:57 AM118° ESE4:50 PM242° WSW33°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:33 AM7:00 AM7:37 AM4:31 PM5:08 PM5:35 PM10h 08m
February6:14 AM6:40 AM7:14 AM5:04 PM5:39 PM6:04 PM10h 59m
March6:41 AM7:05 AM7:39 AM6:29 PM7:02 PM7:27 PM11h 57m
April5:58 AM6:24 AM6:57 AM6:52 PM7:26 PM7:51 PM13h 02m
May5:26 AM5:54 AM6:29 AM7:14 PM7:49 PM8:17 PM13h 56m
June5:14 AM5:43 AM6:20 AM7:31 PM8:08 PM8:37 PM14h 25m
July5:26 AM5:55 AM6:31 AM7:31 PM8:07 PM8:35 PM14h 12m
August5:50 AM6:17 AM6:51 AM7:08 PM7:43 PM8:09 PM13h 26m
September6:13 AM6:38 AM7:11 AM6:29 PM7:02 PM7:27 PM12h 24m
October6:35 AM7:00 AM7:34 AM5:47 PM6:21 PM6:46 PM11h 21m
November6:01 AM6:28 AM7:04 AM4:15 PM4:52 PM5:18 PM10h 24m
December6:25 AM6:53 AM7:32 AM4:09 PM4:47 PM5:15 PM9h 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 Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County, 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 8 (city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February4:32 AM – 5:12 AM0.716°SE → SE
March3:45 AM – 5:35 AM1.824°SE → SSE
April1:43 AM – 4:53 AM3.227°SE → S
May11:46 PM – 4:06 AM4.327°SE → SSW
June9:52 PM – 3:52 AM6.027°SE → SW
July9:48 PM – 2:28 AM4.727°SSE → SW
August9:13 PM – 12:23 AM3.227°S → SW
September8:26 PM – 10:26 PM2.024°SSW → SW
October7:44 PM – 8:24 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.21 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (42%). 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 °F80848793991091101071121018980
Low °F242526303642505143352724
Precip. (in)2.93.11.90.80.40.00.10.00.10.71.02.4

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

  • 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.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

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 Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County, closest first.

Will Rogers State BeachState Park
Will Rogers State Beach2.3 km away · Los Angeles County
Will Rogers State Historic ParkState Park
Will Rogers State Historic Park3.1 km away · Los Angeles County
Natural Arch
Natural Arch (historical)3.8 km away · Los Angeles County
Arch RockNatural Arch
Arch Rock3.8 km away · Los Angeles County
Santa Monica State BeachState Park
Santa Monica State Beach3.8 km away · Los Angeles County
Beach
Bay Street Beach Historic District4.9 km away · Los Angeles County
Topanga State ParkState Park
Topanga State Park6.7 km away · Los Angeles County
Mildred E. Mathias Botanical GardenBotanical Garden
Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden9.3 km away · Los Angeles County
Sepulveda PassMountain Pass
Sepulveda Pass12 km away · Los Angeles County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County?
August 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 Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:47 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:21 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:34 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 8 (city sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County?
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 Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles County from Pacific Palisades?
About 1.6 km (1.0 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.