Located in Tulare County, California, Moro Rock is a mountain peak at about 1,985 m (6,512 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Three Rivers, about 17.1 km (10.6 mi) away (Moro Rock lies NE of town).
Moro Rock is a granite dome rock formation in Sequoia National Park, California, United States. It is located in the center of the park, at the head of Moro Creek, between Giant Forest and Crescent Meadow. A stairway, designed by the National Park Service and built in 1931, is cut into and poured onto the rock, so that visitors can hike to the top. The view from the rock encompasses much of the Park, including the Great Western Divide. Use of this trail is discouraged during thunderstorms and when it is snowing. The name "Moro Rock" derives from a blue roan mustang of color the Mexicans call moro, owned by one Mr Swanson of Three Rivers in the 1860s.From the Wikipedia article “Moro Rock”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Moro Rock 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 60° ENE | 8:17 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 119° ESE | 4:44 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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 | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:56 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Moro Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:43 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:59 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:50 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:57 PM – 3:57 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:06 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:01 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:22 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:16 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.6 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (53%). 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 | 70 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 90 | 99 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 88 | 81 | 70 |
| Low °F | 3 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 24 | 28 | 44 | 39 | 29 | 22 | 9 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 3.5 |
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
- Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
- Photograph the peak from a lake, meadow or ridge at sunrise when the face that looks east lights up first.
- Long lenses compress ridgelines; shoot the peak from several miles away to make it look massive.
- 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.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Moro Rock, closest first.
Rock Formation
Waterfall
CaveRock Formation
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Pass
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Buckeye Flat Campground2.6 km (1.6 mi) · reservable
- Potwisha Campground4.3 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Lodgepole Campground-Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Park7.8 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- Dorst Creek Campground-Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Park11.0 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Atwell Mill Campground12.4 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Moro Rock?
What time is golden hour at Moro Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Moro Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Moro Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Moro Rock?
How far is Moro Rock from Three Rivers?
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.