Located in Mariposa County, California, Leaning Tower, Yosemite is a rock formation. It lies in or next to Yosemite National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Yosemite Valley, about 6.9 km (4.3 mi) away (Leaning Tower, Yosemite lies WSW of town).
The Leaning Tower in Yosemite National Park is a popular destination for rock climbers. It is located west of, and adjacent to Bridalveil Fall, on the south side of the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. The rock is considered to be a strenuous climb, requiring approximately three days to climb to the summit. It is said to be a 700-foot (210 m) climb.From the Wikipedia article “Leaning Tower, Yosemite”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Leaning Tower, Yosemite the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 59° ENE | 8:24 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:11 AM | 120° ESE | 4:44 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 34m |
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 Leaning Tower, Yosemite, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:57 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:04 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:08 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:07 AM – 3:57 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:18 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:11 PM – 2:11 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:31 PM – 12:11 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:10 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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 ≈ 21.62 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 60 | 64 | 67 | 72 | 86 | 91 | 96 | 91 | 90 | 82 | 74 | 62 |
| Low °F | -9 | -7 | -4 | -3 | 15 | 24 | 39 | 34 | 23 | 14 | -9 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 4.8 |
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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Leaning Tower, Yosemite, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
Beach
Waterfall
Rock Formation
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
Rock Formation
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp 45.0 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Bridalveil Creek Campground6.2 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Lower Pines Campground7.8 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- North Pines Campground7.9 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Upper Pines Campground8.0 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Leaning Tower, Yosemite?
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Where does the sun rise and set at Leaning Tower, Yosemite?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Leaning Tower, Yosemite?
How far is Leaning Tower, Yosemite from Yosemite Valley?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.