White Rock is a natural arch in Del Norte County, California. It sits roughly 5.7 km (3.5 mi) WNW of Crescent City.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At White Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 57° ENE | 8:56 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:42 AM | 122° ESE | 4:50 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 33m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 10m |
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 White Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:47 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:48 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:46 AM – 3:56 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:55 PM – 2:05 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.26 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 60% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 64 | 63 | 64 | 66 | 70 | 73 | 77 | 73 | 80 | 73 | 63 | 62 |
| Low °F | 38 | 39 | 37 | 41 | 44 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 49 | 44 | 42 | 37 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 7.2 | 11.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 White Rock, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
Lake
State Park
Beach
Lighthouse
State Park
Covered Bridge
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park14.4 km (9.0 mi)
- Mill Creek Campground - Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park16.2 km (10.0 mi)
- Panther Flat Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph White Rock?
What time is golden hour at White Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at White Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from White Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at White Rock?
How far is White Rock from Crescent City?
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.