Tresidder Peak — a mountain peak in Mariposa County, California at about 3,231 m (10,600 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Yosemite National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Yosemite Valley, about 16.9 km (10.5 mi) away (Tresidder Peak lies NE of town).
Tresidder Peak is a mountain in Yosemite National Park, California. The mountain has two summits (peaks or arêtes), about half a mile (800 meters) apart, with the southern peak being the highest. The elevation of the south peak has not been exactly determined but is given as between 10,605 feet (3,232 m) and 10,645 feet (3,245 m). The northern peak is identified on maps as Peak 10,450 and has an elevation of 10,450 feet (3,185 m). It is the line parent of Clouds Rest, and is named for Donald Tresidder, a former president of Stanford University who had a longtime association with Yosemite National Park. Cathedral Lakes are near.From the Wikipedia article “Tresidder Peak”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tresidder Peak 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 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 4:23 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:48 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:10 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 Tresidder Peak, 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.71 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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Tresidder Peak, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Lake
Lake
Scenic Viewpoint
LakeScenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Rock FormationMountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tuolumne Meadows Campground7.1 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Porcupine Flat Campground12.8 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Yosemite Creek Campground15.5 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- North Pines Campground15.9 km (9.9 mi) · reservable
- Lower Pines Campground16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tresidder Peak?
What time is golden hour at Tresidder Peak?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tresidder Peak?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tresidder Peak?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tresidder Peak?
How far is Tresidder Peak 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.