Located in Riverside County, California, San Jacinto National Forest is a national forest. It sits roughly 6.7 km (4.2 mi) E of Idyllwild.
San Jacinto National Forest was established as the San Jacinto Forest Reserve by the United States General Land Office in California on February 22, 1897 with 740,000 acres (3,000 km2). After the transfer of federal forests to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, it became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908 the entire forest was combined with Trabuco Canyon National Forest to establish Cleveland National Forest, and the name was discontinued.From the Wikipedia article “San Jacinto National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Jacinto National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:51 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 61° ENE | 8:01 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:35 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:48 AM | 118° ESE | 4:43 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:57 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 54m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:56 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:11 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 56m |
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 San Jacinto National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:28 AM – 5:28 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:36 AM – 4:46 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:38 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:44 PM – 3:44 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:40 PM – 2:20 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:06 PM – 12:16 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:19 PM – 10:19 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.7 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.2 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (41%). 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 | 84 | 90 | 94 | 100 | 109 | 117 | 118 | 115 | 115 | 104 | 92 | 82 |
| Low °F | 26 | 28 | 33 | 37 | 42 | 48 | 59 | 56 | 48 | 40 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
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 national forest
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of San Jacinto National Forest, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
State Park
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
CanyonWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Marion Mountain10.3 km (6.4 mi) · reservable
- Fern Basin10.6 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Dark Canyon Campground 11.3 km (7.0 mi) · reservable
- Black Mountain (San Bernardino)14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Boulder Basin14.5 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Jacinto National Forest?
What time is golden hour at San Jacinto National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Jacinto National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Jacinto National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Jacinto National Forest?
How far is San Jacinto National Forest from Idyllwild?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.