Sign for Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park — in the Antelope Valley of the western Mojave Desert, in Southern California, USA
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34.7592° N118.5030° WBortle 5Los Angeles

Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park

State Park in Los Angeles County, California

  • Bortle 5 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: August
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Scottthezombie · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park — a state park in Los Angeles County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 17.3 km (10.7 mi) NNW of Green Valley.

Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park is a state park in the western Antelope Valley in Southern California. The park protects mature stands of Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) and California juniper trees (Juniperus californica) in their western Mojave Desert habitat. The park is located in northern Los Angeles County, 20 miles (32 km) west of downtown Lancaster and about 5 miles (8.0 km) from the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.From the Wikipedia article “Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Green Valley
17.3 km (10.7 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 5
Suburban sky
Clearest month
August
14% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:46 PM
sunset 6:20 PM

Light at Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:05 AM
Sunset
6:14 PM
Golden hour AM
6:49 AM – 7:39 AM
Golden hour PM
5:40 PM – 6:30 PM
Blue hour AM
6:39 AM – 6:49 AM
Blue hour PM
6:30 PM – 6:40 PM
Full darkness
7:39 PM – 5:41 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:16 PM / 1:26 AM
Day length
11h 10m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
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 Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:58 AM90° E7:06 PM271° W55°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:42 AM61° ENE8:11 PM300° WNW79°14h 29m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:43 AM89° E6:52 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)6:58 AM118° ESE4:47 PM242° WSW32°9h 49m

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

State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:34 AM7:02 AM7:39 AM4:29 PM5:06 PM5:34 PM10h 05m
February6:15 AM6:41 AM7:15 AM5:03 PM5:38 PM6:03 PM10h 57m
March6:40 AM7:05 AM7:39 AM6:29 PM7:02 PM7:27 PM11h 57m
April5:57 AM6:23 AM6:57 AM6:53 PM7:26 PM7:52 PM13h 04m
May5:24 AM5:52 AM6:28 AM7:15 PM7:51 PM8:19 PM13h 59m
June5:12 AM5:41 AM6:18 AM7:32 PM8:10 PM8:39 PM14h 29m
July5:24 AM5:53 AM6:29 AM7:32 PM8:09 PM8:37 PM14h 16m
August5:49 AM6:15 AM6:50 AM7:09 PM7:43 PM8:10 PM13h 28m
September6:13 AM6:38 AM7:11 AM6:29 PM7:02 PM7:28 PM12h 25m
October6:35 AM7:00 AM7:34 AM5:46 PM6:20 PM6:46 PM11h 20m
November6:02 AM6:29 AM7:06 AM4:13 PM4:50 PM5:17 PM10h 21m
December6:27 AM6:55 AM7:34 AM4:06 PM4:45 PM5:13 PM9h 50m

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 Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February4:32 AM – 5:12 AM0.716°SE → SE
March3:46 AM – 5:36 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April1:45 AM – 4:45 AM3.026°SE → S
May11:49 PM – 4:09 AM4.326°SE → SSW
June9:56 PM – 3:46 AM5.826°SE → SW
July9:51 PM – 2:21 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August9:16 PM – 12:26 AM3.226°S → SW
September8:28 PM – 10:18 PM1.823°SSW → SW
October7:44 PM – 8:24 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.39 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (42%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F80848793991091101071121018980
Low °F242526303642505143352724
Precip. (in)2.93.11.90.80.40.00.10.00.10.71.02.4

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 state park

  • Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
  • Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
  • Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
  • Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
  • Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.

Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Permits, drones & access

Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 40 km of Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park, closest first.

Fairmont ButteRock Formation
Fairmont Butte8.8 km away · Los Angeles County
Antelope Valley California Poppy ReserveState Park
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve10 km away · Los Angeles County
Hughes LakeLake
Hughes Lake11 km away · Los Angeles County · 973 m
Elizabeth LakeLake
Elizabeth Lake14 km away · Los Angeles County · 998 m
Willow Springs CanyonCanyon
Willow Springs Canyon15 km away · Los Angeles County
Mountain Pass
San Francisquito Pass17 km away · Los Angeles County
Mountain Pass
Old Tejon Pass26 km away · Kern County
Castaic Lake State Recreation AreaState Park
Castaic Lake State Recreation Area27 km away · Los Angeles County
Pyramid LakeLake
Pyramid Lake27 km away · Los Angeles County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park?
August 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 wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:46 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:20 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:34 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 5 (suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park?
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 Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park from Green Valley?
About 17.3 km (10.7 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.