Wildcat Canyon — a canyon in Contra Costa County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 800 m NE of Kensington.
Wildcat Canyon is a narrow linear valley just east of the Berkeley Hills in the San Francisco Bay Area, situated in Contra Costa County, California. The canyon is bounded on its east side by the San Pablo Ridge, and is drained by Wildcat Creek which runs northwest to its outlet in San Pablo Bay. Two minor lakes or ponds lie along the creek: Jewel Lake and Lake Anza. The latter was enlarged by the construction of a small dam in the mid-20th century. An active tectonic fault, the Wildcat Fault, runs the length of the canyon. Wildcat Canyon was named for the mountain lions which used to be fairly common in the area. The southern end of the canyon adjacent to the city of Berkeley was incorporated into Tilden Regional Park in the 1930s and remains a major recreation area for local residents. Another regional park, Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, is situated at the northern end of the canyon.From the Wikipedia article “Wildcat Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wildcat Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 59° ENE | 8:36 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:54 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Wildcat Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.19 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September is the warmest month and January 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 | 67 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 84 | 78 | 65 |
| Low °F | 36 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 51 | 47 | 39 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Wildcat Canyon, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Lake
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Beach
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels Only (Auxiliary Engine Ok)17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
- Kirby Cove Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Rob Hill Group Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Hawk Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Bicentennial Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wildcat Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Wildcat Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wildcat Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wildcat Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wildcat Canyon?
How far is Wildcat Canyon from Kensington?
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.