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39.5553° N123.7678° W8 mBortle 2Los Angeles

Whale Rock Arch Photography Guide

Natural Arch in Mendocino County, California · 8 m (26 ft)

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Located in Mendocino County, California, Whale Rock Arch is a natural arch. It sits roughly 12.6 km (7.8 mi) NNE of Fort Bragg.

Elevation
8 m
26 ft
Nearest town
Fort Bragg
12.6 km (7.8 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
July
23% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:01 PM
sunset 6:37 PM

Light at Whale Rock Arch

Live
Sunrise
7:31 AM
Sunset
6:30 PM
Golden hour AM
7:14 AM – 8:08 AM
Golden hour PM
5:53 PM – 6:47 PM
Blue hour AM
7:04 AM – 7:14 AM
Blue hour PM
6:47 PM – 6:57 PM
Full darkness
8:00 PM – 6:02 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:46 PM / 1:39 AM
Day length
10h 59m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
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 Whale Rock Arch the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:19 AM90° E7:27 PM271° W50°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:49 AM58° ENE8:47 PM302° WNW74°14h 58m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:03 AM89° E7:14 PM271° W51°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:33 AM120° ESE4:55 PM240° WSW27°9h 22m

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
January7:05 AM7:35 AM8:16 AM4:35 PM5:16 PM5:45 PM9h 41m
February6:41 AM7:08 AM7:46 AM5:15 PM5:52 PM6:20 PM10h 44m
March7:01 AM7:27 AM8:03 AM6:47 PM7:22 PM7:49 PM11h 55m
April6:10 AM6:38 AM7:14 AM7:17 PM7:53 PM8:21 PM13h 15m
May5:31 AM6:02 AM6:40 AM7:44 PM8:23 PM8:53 PM14h 21m
June5:15 AM5:48 AM6:28 AM8:05 PM8:45 PM9:17 PM14h 57m
July5:29 AM6:01 AM6:40 AM8:03 PM8:43 PM9:14 PM14h 42m
August6:00 AM6:28 AM7:05 AM7:36 PM8:13 PM8:41 PM13h 44m
September6:30 AM6:57 AM7:33 AM6:50 PM7:25 PM7:52 PM12h 28m
October6:59 AM7:26 AM8:02 AM6:01 PM6:37 PM7:04 PM11h 12m
November6:31 AM7:00 AM7:40 AM4:21 PM5:01 PM5:30 PM10h 01m
December6:59 AM7:29 AM8:12 AM4:10 PM4:53 PM5:23 PM9h 24m

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 Whale Rock Arch, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:22 AM – 5:32 AM0.212°SE → SE
March4:32 AM – 5:52 AM1.318°SE → SSE
April2:29 AM – 4:59 AM2.521°SE → S
May12:32 AM – 4:02 AM3.522°SE → S
June10:46 PM – 3:46 AM5.022°SE → SSW
July10:38 PM – 2:18 AM3.722°S → SW
August9:53 PM – 12:13 AM2.321°S → SW
September8:56 PM – 10:16 PM1.318°SSW → SW
October8:07 PM – 8:17 PM0.212°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.7 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F717371758188878789857567
Low °F343534363945494945413534
Precip. (in)7.37.46.23.41.40.50.10.00.42.45.310.2

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

  • Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
  • 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.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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 Whale Rock Arch, closest first.

MacKerricher State ParkState Park
MacKerricher State Park7.2 km away · Mendocino County
Glass BeachBeach
Glass Beach12 km away · Mendocino County
Westport–Union Landing State BeachState Park
Westport–Union Landing State Beach14 km away · Mendocino County
Mendocino Coast Botanical GardensBotanical Garden
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens17 km away · Mendocino County
Natural Arch
Hardy Rock17 km away · Mendocino County
Natural Arch
Cape Vizcaino Arch20 km away · Mendocino County
Natural Arch
Jughandle21 km away · Mendocino County
Caspar Headlands State BeachState Park
Caspar Headlands State Beach22 km away · Mendocino County
Point Cabrillo LightLighthouse
Point Cabrillo Light24 km away · Mendocino County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Whale Rock Arch?
July 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 Whale Rock Arch?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:01 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:37 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:02 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Whale Rock Arch?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Whale Rock Arch?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Whale Rock Arch?
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 Whale Rock Arch from Fort Bragg?
About 12.6 km (7.8 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.