Located in Mendocino County, California, Needle Rock is a natural arch. It sits roughly 23 km (14 mi) SSW of Redway.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Needle Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 58° ENE | 8:49 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 121° ESE | 4:55 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 20m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:07 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 39m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 59m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 44m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 21m |
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 Needle Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:31 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:35 AM – 4:05 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:50 PM – 3:40 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:42 PM – 2:12 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:56 PM – 12:16 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 23% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (60%). August 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 | 71 | 73 | 71 | 75 | 81 | 88 | 87 | 87 | 89 | 85 | 75 | 67 |
| Low °F | 34 | 35 | 34 | 36 | 39 | 45 | 49 | 49 | 45 | 41 | 35 | 34 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.3 | 7.4 | 6.2 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 5.3 | 10.2 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Needle Rock, closest first.
Natural Arch
State Park
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Wailaki Campground8.9 km (5.5 mi)
- Nadelos Campground 9.2 km (5.7 mi)
- Tolkan Campground17.0 km (10.6 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Needle Rock?
What time is golden hour at Needle Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Needle Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Needle Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Needle Rock?
How far is Needle Rock from Redway?
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.