Willow Springs Canyon is a canyon in Los Angeles County, California. It sits roughly 11.1 km (6.9 mi) NNE of Green Valley.
Willow Springs Canyon is a canyon cut by Willow Springs Canyon Wash. Its source is at the head of the canyon in the gap in the Portal Ridge of the Transverse Range, 0.5 miles north of Elizabeth Lake. It is cut into the slope to the northeast into the Antelope Valley, crossing the California Aqueduct. The mouth of the Canyon is 0.25 miles southwest of its confluence with Myrick Canyon Wash which is 300 feet southwest of the intersection of Munz Ranch Road with the Neenach - Fairmont Road in Los Angeles County, California, USA. The closest populated place to Willow Springs Canyon is Elizabeth Lake, California.From the Wikipedia article “Willow Springs Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Willow Springs 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 61° ENE | 8:11 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:58 AM | 118° ESE | 4:47 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 51m |
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 Willow Springs Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:31 AM – 5:11 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 4:44 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:55 PM – 3:45 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:20 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:25 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:23 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.08 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 80 | 84 | 87 | 93 | 99 | 109 | 110 | 107 | 112 | 101 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 24 | 25 | 26 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 50 | 51 | 43 | 35 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Willow Springs Canyon, closest first.
State Park
Rock Formation
Lake
Mountain Pass
Lake
State Park
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Upper Shake Campground16.1 km (10.0 mi)
- Streamside Campground19.1 km (11.9 mi)
- Sawmill Campground19.8 km (12.3 mi)
- Zuni Campground24 km (15 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Willow Springs Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Willow Springs Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Willow Springs Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Willow Springs Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Willow Springs Canyon?
How far is Willow Springs Canyon from Green 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.