Walnut Creek is a city of about 68,910 people in Contra Costa County, California, at 52 m (171 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:22 AM and sets at 6:25 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:49 PM – 6:42 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:23 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time in America/Los Angeles, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Walnut Creek
At Walnut Creek 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.
Best photo spots near Walnut Creek
178 photo locations lie within 80 km of Walnut Creek. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
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BeachNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Walnut Creek is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Hitch'n Post, about 184 km (114 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hitch'n Post | Natural Arch | 184 km (114 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Arch | Natural Arch | 185 km (115 mi) | 2 |
| Manchester State Park | State Park | 186 km (116 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Light | Lighthouse | 187 km (116 mi) | 2 |
| Greenwood State Beach | State Park | 198 km (123 mi) | 2 |
| Devils Pitchfork | Natural Arch | 198 km (123 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock East Arch | Natural Arch | 198 km (123 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock West Arch | Natural Arch | 198 km (123 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:13 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.5 | 19° |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 12:17 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:29 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
Cloud cover by month
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.