Desert Lighthouse is a lighthouse in San Bernardino County, California. It sits roughly 13.4 km (8.3 mi) NW of Lenwood.
Desert Lighthouse is a full-size functioning lighthouse in the Mojave Desert near Hinkley, California, United States. It was built in 2017 by artist Daniel Hawkins after nearly 10 years of planning and unexpected setbacks.From the Wikipedia article “Desert Lighthouse”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Desert Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 60° ENE | 8:07 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:54 AM | 119° ESE | 4:42 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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 | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:14 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:11 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 49m |
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 Desert Lighthouse, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:27 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:41 AM – 5:31 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:41 AM – 4:41 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:45 PM – 4:05 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:52 PM – 3:42 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:47 PM – 2:17 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:12 PM – 12:12 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:39 PM – 8:19 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.9 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (44%). 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 | 77 | 82 | 87 | 93 | 103 | 110 | 111 | 109 | 109 | 98 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 22 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 35 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 40 | 33 | 24 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Desert Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Desert Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Desert Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Desert Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Desert Lighthouse?
How far is Desert Lighthouse from Lenwood?
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.