Sugar Pine Point Light — a lighthouse in El Dorado County, California at about 1,900 m (6,234 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.4 km (0.9 mi) ESE of Tahoma. Its recorded tower height is about 4 m (13 ft). It dates from 1921.
The Sugar Pine Point Light was a small lighthouse located on Lake Tahoe, in El Dorado County, California, in the United States. The Lighthouse was once the highest in the nation; located at over 6,200 feet above sea level. The tower no longer stands, but a small post light marks the site. It is located within the bounds of Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park.From the Wikipedia article “Sugar Pine Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sugar Pine Point Light 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 59° ENE | 8:30 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 120° ESE | 4:42 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 25m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 26m |
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 Sugar Pine Point Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:12 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:14 AM – 3:54 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:27 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 2:10 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 12:06 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:01 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:01 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.3 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 64 | 67 | 70 | 76 | 89 | 98 | 102 | 100 | 98 | 90 | 77 | 62 |
| Low °F | 0 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 24 | 27 | 39 | 38 | 27 | 21 | -1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.6 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 7.9 |
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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Sugar Pine Point Light, closest first.
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
National Forest
State Park
Waterfall
Lake
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Meeks Bay Resort2.7 km (1.7 mi) · reservable
- Kaspian Campground7.0 km (4.3 mi) · reservable
- William Kent Campground9.4 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Badgers Den At Camp Richardson Resort15.5 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Eagles Nest At Camp Richardson Resort15.5 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sugar Pine Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Sugar Pine Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sugar Pine Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sugar Pine Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sugar Pine Point Light?
How far is Sugar Pine Point Light from Tahoma?
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.