Mount Starr King is a mountain peak in Mariposa County, California at about 2,767 m (9,078 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Yosemite National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 6.8 km (4.2 mi) SE of Yosemite Valley.
Mount Starr King is a symmetrical granite dome in Yosemite National Park, whose highest point is 9,096 feet (2,772 m) above sea level. Climbing Starr King's dome requires technical skills or equipment, and the easiest routes are rated low class 5 in the Yosemite Decimal System. It was named for Thomas Starr King, a Unitarian preacher and political activist. It has historically been known by various names including Kings Peak, See-wah-lam, South Dome, and Tis-sa-ack.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Starr King (California)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Starr King 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 59° ENE | 8:24 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 120° ESE | 4:44 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 6:44 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 34m |
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 Mount Starr King, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:56 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:03 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:07 AM – 4:47 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 3:56 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:17 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:10 PM – 2:10 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:36 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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 ≈ 21.66 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 60 | 64 | 67 | 72 | 86 | 91 | 96 | 91 | 90 | 82 | 74 | 62 |
| Low °F | -9 | -7 | -4 | -3 | 15 | 24 | 39 | 34 | 23 | 14 | -9 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 4.8 |
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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Mount Starr King, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Lake
Waterfall
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Canyon
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Upper Pines Campground5.4 km (3.4 mi) · reservable
- Lower Pines Campground6.0 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- North Pines Campground6.0 km (3.8 mi) · reservable
- Camp 48.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Bridalveil Creek Campground10.0 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Starr King?
What time is golden hour at Mount Starr King?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Starr King?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Starr King?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Starr King?
How far is Mount Starr King from Yosemite Valley?
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.