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34.0067° N119.3998° W13 mBortle 4Los Angeles

Keyhole Rock Photography Guide

Natural Arch in Ventura County, California · 13 m (43 ft)

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–299°
  • Clearest: August
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Ventura County, California, Keyhole Rock is a natural arch. It sits roughly 23 km (15 mi) SW of Channel Islands Beach.

Elevation
13 m
43 ft
Nearest town
Channel Islands Beach
23 km (15 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
August
21% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:51 PM
sunset 6:25 PM

Light at Keyhole Rock

Live
Sunrise
7:07 AM
Sunset
6:19 PM
Golden hour AM
6:52 AM – 7:41 AM
Golden hour PM
5:44 PM – 6:34 PM
Blue hour AM
6:42 AM – 6:52 AM
Blue hour PM
6:34 PM – 6:44 PM
Full darkness
7:42 PM – 5:44 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:18 PM / 1:31 AM
Day length
11h 11m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Keyhole Rock 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 79° in summer but only 33° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:02 AM90° E7:10 PM271° W56°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:48 AM61° ENE8:13 PM299° WNW79°14h 25m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:46 AM89° E6:56 PM271° W56°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:00 AM118° ESE4:53 PM242° WSW33°9h 53m

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

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

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:36 AM7:04 AM7:41 AM4:34 PM5:12 PM5:39 PM10h 08m
February6:18 AM6:43 AM7:18 AM5:08 PM5:42 PM6:08 PM10h 59m
March6:44 AM7:09 AM7:42 AM6:33 PM7:06 PM7:31 PM11h 57m
April6:01 AM6:27 AM7:01 AM6:56 PM7:29 PM7:55 PM13h 02m
May5:29 AM5:57 AM6:32 AM7:17 PM7:53 PM8:20 PM13h 56m
June5:18 AM5:47 AM6:24 AM7:34 PM8:11 PM8:40 PM14h 24m
July5:30 AM5:58 AM6:34 AM7:34 PM8:10 PM8:39 PM14h 12m
August5:54 AM6:20 AM6:54 AM7:12 PM7:46 PM8:12 PM13h 26m
September6:17 AM6:42 AM7:15 AM6:33 PM7:06 PM7:31 PM12h 24m
October6:38 AM7:03 AM7:37 AM5:51 PM6:25 PM6:50 PM11h 21m
November6:05 AM6:31 AM7:07 AM4:19 PM4:55 PM5:22 PM10h 24m
December6:29 AM6:57 AM7:35 AM4:12 PM4:51 PM5:18 PM9h 54m

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 Keyhole Rock, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February4:36 AM – 5:16 AM0.716°SE → SE
March3:49 AM – 5:39 AM1.824°SE → SSE
April1:47 AM – 4:57 AM3.227°SE → S
May11:50 PM – 4:10 AM4.327°SE → SSW
June9:56 PM – 3:56 AM6.027°SE → SW
July9:52 PM – 2:32 AM4.727°SSE → SW
August9:17 PM – 12:27 AM3.227°S → SW
September8:30 PM – 10:30 PM2.024°SSW → SW
October7:48 PM – 8:28 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.69 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (43%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F82838593991081091061111008980
Low °F252728293543485042372925
Precip. (in)2.93.11.90.80.40.00.10.00.10.71.02.3

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 natural arch

  • 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.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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

Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Keyhole Rock, closest first.

Anacapa Island LightLighthouse
Anacapa Island Light3.9 km away · Ventura County
Natural Arch
Arch Rock — pasawapʰ hoti or ’aɬwaštimot̓o4.1 km away · Ventura County
Canyon
Hungryman Gulch12 km away · Santa Barbara County
Canyon
Smugglers Canyon14 km away · Santa Barbara County
Cave
Cavern Point16 km away · Ventura County
Point Hueneme LightLighthouse
Point Hueneme Light23 km away · Ventura County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Keyhole Rock?
August has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
What time is golden hour at Keyhole Rock?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:51 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:25 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:37 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Keyhole Rock?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Keyhole Rock?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Keyhole Rock?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Keyhole Rock from Channel Islands Beach?
About 23 km (15 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.