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Natural Arches in California

86 natural arches in California with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Siskiyou County has the most (22). The darkest skies are at Modoc Natural Bridge (Bortle 1).

Top natural arches

Arch RockNatural Arch
Arch RockLos Angeles County
Natural Arch
Arturos BridgeImperial County
Arch RockNatural Arch
Arch RockMariposa County
Natural Arch
Aikens ArchSan Bernardino County
Natural Arch
Balcony BridgeSiskiyou County
Natural Arch
Arch Rock — pasawapʰ hoti or ’aɬwaštimot̓oVentura County
Natural Arch
Arch PointLos Angeles County
Natural Arch
Arch RockFresno County
Natural Arch
Arch RockCity and County of San Francisco
Natural Arch
Whitley BridgeImperial County
Natural Arch
Indian RockMariposa County
Natural Arch
Arch of the NavarroMendocino County

Natural Arches by county

All natural arches (86)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Arch RockLos Angeles County—Pacific Palisades7
Arturos BridgeImperial County257 mYuma3
Arch RockYosemiteMariposa County—Yosemite Valley3
Aikens ArchSan Bernardino County1,123 mFort Irwin2
Balcony BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,430 mAltamont1
Arch Rock — pasawapʰ hoti or ’aɬwaštimot̓oChannel IslandsVentura County3 mChannel Islands Beach4
Arch PointChannel IslandsLos Angeles County—Malibu4
Arch RockFresno County3,161 mMammoth Lakes2
Arch RockCity and County of San Francisco16 mBolinas4
Whitley BridgeImperial County122 mYuma3
Indian RockYosemiteMariposa County—Yosemite Valley3
Arch of the NavarroMendocino County—Fort Bragg2
Alligator Head Arch (historical)San Diego County6 mLa Jolla7
Arch RockMarin County18 mLagunitas-Forest Knolls5
Arch RockOrange County-12 mSan Joaquin Hills7
Arch RockJoshua TreeRiverside County1,162 mTwentynine Palms4
Arch RockChannel IslandsSanta Barbara County27 mIsla Vista4
Arched RockSonoma County3 mBodega Bay4
Arched RockSonoma County25 mMonte Rio4
The ArchesOrange County4 mNewport Beach9
Death Valley Natural BridgeInyo County189 mDeath Valley2
Great West ArchCity and County of San Francisco19 mBolinas4
Hardy RockMendocino County-3 mLaytonville2
Keyhole RockVentura County13 mChannel Islands Beach4
Kramer ArchSan Bernardino County786 mBarstow4
Natural ArchSan Bernardino County708 mFort Irwin3
Natural BridgeCalaveras County355 mAngels Camp4
Natural BridgeTulare County2,422 mLone Pine2
Natural Arch (historical)Los Angeles County2 mPacific Palisades7
Needle RockMendocino County-1 mRedway1
Smugglers CaveSan Luis Obispo County3 mAvila Beach4
Three ArchesOrange County7 mDana Point7
Captain Jacks BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,342 mAltamont1
Garden BridgesLava BedsSiskiyou County1,511 mAltamont1
Guano BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,270 mAltamont1
Heppe BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,587 mAltamont1
Irish BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,405 mAltamont1
Massacre Natural BridgeTrinity County866 mHayfork2
Merrill Natural BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,494 mAltamont1
Ovis BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,537 mAltamont1
Peninsula BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,361 mAltamont1
Symbol BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,428 mAltamont1
White RockDel Norte County19 mCrescent City3
Dragons MouthLava BedsSiskiyou County1,368 mAltamont1
Forbidden ArchSiskiyou County1,250 mAltamont1
Bearpaw BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,493 mAltamont1
Balcony CaveLava BedsSiskiyou County1,428 mAltamont1
Boulevard BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,427 mAltamont1
Natural BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,549 mAltamont1
Brushy BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,513 mAltamont1
Venetian BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,511 mAltamont1
Chocolate BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,505 mAltamont1
Hopkins BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,505 mAltamont1
Sentinel BridgeLava BedsSiskiyou County1,499 mAltamont1
Boulevard CaveLava BedsSiskiyou County1,425 mAltamont1
The PortalHumboldt County13 mWesthaven-Moonstone3
Elephant RockHumboldt County8 mFerndale2
Hole in the RockNapa County1,016 mCalistoga4
Peep SightAlpine County2,851 mTopaz Ranch Estates3
Modoc Natural BridgeModoc County2,090 mAlturas1
White Cap ArchSonoma County1 mSea Ranch3
Elephant RockMarin County5 mInverness4
KeyholeMarin County9 mLagunitas-Forest Knolls5
TempleMarin County1 mLagunitas-Forest Knolls5
Bird Island ArchGolden GateMarin County5 mMarin City7
Point Bonita ArchGolden GateMarin County23 mMarin City7
Whale Rock ArchMendocino County8 mFort Bragg2
BlowholeMendocino County1 mFort Bragg3
Wharf Rock West ArchMendocino County29 mBoonville2
Wharf Rock East ArchMendocino County2 mBoonville2
Point Arena ArchMendocino County10 mBoonville2
Cape Vizcaino ArchMendocino County33 mLaytonville2
Conglomerate Double ArchInyo County2,099 mLone Pine2
Telephone ArchDeath ValleyInyo County849 mDeath Valley2
Last Chance Canyon ArchKern County926 mInyokern3
Bottomless PitDevils PostpileMono County2,763 mMammoth Lakes4
Clark Mountain Natural ArchSan Bernardino County2,009 mSandy Valley3
San Roque ArchSanta Barbara County457 mMission Canyon5
Elusive ArchSanta Barbara County668 mGoleta5
Arch RockSanta Barbara County12 mMalibu4
Arch RockMadera County2,013 mMammoth Lakes3
Morgan RockMendocino County—Redway1
JughandleMendocino County—Fort Bragg3
Devils PitchforkMendocino County—Boonville2
Hitch'n PostMendocino County—Boonville2
Fish Rocks ArchMendocino County—Sea Ranch3

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph natural arches

Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.

  • Frame distant features through the opening of the arch for a natural window.
  • At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
  • Use a wide lens and get close to emphasize the span against the sky.
  • Never climb on arches; many are fragile and climbing is prohibited on park lands.
  • Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.

Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.