Beetle Rock is a rock formation in Tulare County, California. It lies in or next to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 18.1 km (11.2 mi) NE of Three Rivers.
From the National Park Service
A short walk from the Giant Forest Museum, Beetle Rock offers a view of the western edge of the park and the San Joaquin Valley below. While this view can be beautiful at sunset, you are also likely to witness the smog that people are surprised to find here. An outdoor exhibit (to the right as you approach the rock) explains the source of pollution.
Notice the hardy trees growing in the cracks and crevasses of the rock. They usually remain relatively small because of a lack of nutrition and water, but these survivors hang on in their niches.
The nearby Beetle Rock Education Center is used for park events and classes. Safety There is no path or stairs onto the rock; climb on up but watch your footing. If it's icy or packed with snow, use caution.
Bears are active here. Store food and scented items in food storage boxes in the parking lot. If you picnic here, keep all food within arm's reach. Services and Parking Restrooms and water-bottle filling stations are outside the Giant Forest Museum across the street.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Beetle Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 60° ENE | 8:17 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 119° ESE | 4:44 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 39m |
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
Rock towers and buttes glow red and orange in the first and last half-hour of sun; midday light flattens their shape.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:56 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Beetle Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:43 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:59 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:50 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:57 PM – 3:57 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:06 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:01 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:22 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:16 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| 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 ≈ 21.6 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (53%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 70 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 90 | 99 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 88 | 81 | 70 |
| Low °F | 3 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 24 | 28 | 44 | 39 | 29 | 22 | 9 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 3.5 |
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 rock formation
- At night, a formation under the Milky Way or star trails makes a strong anchor.
- Use the sunrise and sunset azimuths below to know which face will be lit.
- Stay on trails; desert soils and lichens take decades to recover from footprints.
- Find a spot where the formation sits against open sky to emphasize its silhouette.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn are best in desert regions; winter snow on red rock is rare but spectacular.
Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Beetle Rock, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Cave
Waterfall
Rock Formation
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Wilderness Area
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Buckeye Flat Campground4.9 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
- Potwisha Campground5.6 km (3.5 mi) · reservable
- Lodgepole Campground-Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Park6.5 km (4.0 mi) · reservable
- Dorst Creek Campground-Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Park8.6 km (5.3 mi) · reservable
- Stony Creek Sequoia12.4 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Beetle Rock?
What time is golden hour at Beetle Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Beetle Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Beetle Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Beetle Rock?
How far is Beetle Rock from Three Rivers?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.