Located in San Luis Obispo County, California, Piedras Blancas Lighthouse is a lighthouse. It sits roughly 22 km (13 mi) WNW of Cambria.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Piedras Blancas 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 60° ENE | 8:25 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 119° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 44m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 34m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 21m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:22 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 45m |
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 Piedras Blancas Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:58 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:04 AM – 4:14 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:30 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:30 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.5 | 15° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.69 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (77%). September 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 | 72 | 73 | 77 | 80 | 78 | 87 | 81 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 82 | 73 |
| Low °F | 38 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 47 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 53 | 51 | 44 | 41 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 3.1 |
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
- 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.
- During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is San Simeon, 9.1 km (5.7 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Piedras Blancas Lighthouse, closest first.
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Wilderness AreaFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Piedras Blancas Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Piedras Blancas Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Piedras Blancas Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Piedras Blancas Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Piedras Blancas Lighthouse?
How far is Piedras Blancas Lighthouse from Cambria?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.