Located in Humboldt County, California, Cape Mendocino Light is a lighthouse at about 116 m (381 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 19.3 km (12.0 mi) SW of Ferndale. Its recorded tower height is about 13 m (43 ft). It dates from 1868.
Cape Mendocino Light was a navigation light at Cape Mendocino, California. The former lighthouse was relocated to Shelter Cove near Point Delgada, California in 1998, and the historic Fresnel lens to Ferndale, California, in 1948. An automated beacon operated for a number of years but was removed in May 2013.From the Wikipedia article “Cape Mendocino Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cape Mendocino Light 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 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 58° ENE | 8:52 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 121° ESE | 4:55 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 17m |
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
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:29 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 47m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:06 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 18m |
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 Cape Mendocino Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:35 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:46 AM – 5:56 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:40 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:56 PM – 3:36 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:47 PM – 2:17 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 8:10 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.84 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 61% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 67 | 68 | 72 | 78 | 82 | 76 | 75 | 88 | 79 | 67 | 62 |
| Low °F | 35 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 43 | 47 | 49 | 51 | 48 | 44 | 39 | 35 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.5 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 10.8 |
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 lighthouse
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Cockrobin Island Bridge, Eel River, 24 km (15 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cape Mendocino Light, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cape Mendocino Light?
What time is golden hour at Cape Mendocino Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cape Mendocino Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cape Mendocino Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cape Mendocino Light?
How far is Cape Mendocino Light from Ferndale?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.