Frog Woman Rock is a mountain peak in Mendocino County, California at about 268 m (879 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Cloverdale, about 12.4 km (7.7 mi) away (Frog Woman Rock lies NNW of town).
Frog Woman Rock (Pomo: Bi-tsin’ ma-ca Ka-be) is a distinctive volcanic monolith located in Mendocino County, California, in the Russian River canyon through the California Coast Ranges. The California Historical Landmark, adjacent to U.S. Route 101, is a popular recreational site for rock-climbing and whitewater kayaking.From the Wikipedia article “Frog Woman Rock”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Frog Woman Rock 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 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 59° ENE | 8:42 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 120° ESE | 4:54 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 26m |
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
Summits catch first and last light — alpenglow can turn rock pink or orange minutes before sunrise and after sunset while valleys stay in shadow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 53m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 38m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Frog Woman Rock, 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 | 5:19 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 2:22 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:13 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 June as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 63 | 63 | 62 | 71 | 76 | 73 | 65 | 70 | 74 | 76 | 66 | 62 |
| Low °F | 41 | 43 | 42 | 45 | 46 | 49 | 50 | 53 | 53 | 51 | 45 | 43 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.3 | 6.7 | 5.1 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 4.2 | 8.6 |
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 mountain peak
- Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer at high elevations — plan summit hikes for early morning.
- Snow on the summit holds detail best when you expose for the highlights and lift shadows later.
- Alpenglow lasts only a few minutes; set up and focus beforehand.
- Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Early summer keeps snow on the peaks with green valleys below; autumn adds aspen or larch color in many ranges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lightweight tripod, Warm layers, Microspikes in shoulder seasons. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Frog Woman Rock, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Liberty Glen (Lake Sonoma)22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Warm Springs Rec Area22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Boat-In Sites (Lake Sonoma)23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Frog Woman Rock?
What time is golden hour at Frog Woman Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Frog Woman Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Frog Woman Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Frog Woman Rock?
How far is Frog Woman Rock from Cloverdale?
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.