St. George Reef Light is a lighthouse in Del Norte County, California. The nearest town is Crescent City, about 17.0 km (10.6 mi) away (St. George Reef Light lies WNW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 27 m (89 ft). It dates from 1892. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The St. George Reef Light is an inactive lighthouse built on North West Seal Rock, six miles (10 km) off the coast of northern California near Crescent City.From the Wikipedia article “St. George Reef Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At St. George Reef Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 57° ENE | 8:57 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 122° ESE | 4:50 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 33m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:25 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:24 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 09m |
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 St. George Reef Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:48 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:49 AM – 4:49 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:47 AM – 3:57 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 11:06 PM – 3:26 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:56 PM – 2:06 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 12:05 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 10:04 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 60% 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 | 64 | 63 | 64 | 66 | 70 | 73 | 77 | 73 | 80 | 73 | 63 | 62 |
| Low °F | 38 | 39 | 37 | 41 | 44 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 49 | 44 | 42 | 37 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 7.2 | 11.6 |
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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 CRESCENT CITY, 18.8 km (11.7 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of St. George Reef Light, closest first.
Natural Arch
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Lake
Lighthouse
Beach
State Park
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park24 km (15 mi)
- Mill Creek Campground - Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park27 km (17 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph St. George Reef Light?
What time is golden hour at St. George Reef Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at St. George Reef Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from St. George Reef Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at St. George Reef Light?
How far is St. George Reef Light from Crescent City?
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.