Azalea State Natural Reserve is a state park in Humboldt County, California. It sits roughly 3.6 km (2.2 mi) SSE of McKinleyville.
Azalea State Natural Reserve is a state nature reserve of California, United States, located in McKinleyville, an unincorporated area of Humboldt County. This area is just north of the college town of Arcata and slightly above the Mad River not far from where it enters the Pacific Ocean. The reserve is dedicated to the preservation of the western azalea (Rhododendron occidentale), whose pink and white flowers bloom in profusion each April and May. It has a short self-guided nature trail with emphasis on plants of the north coast region. There is a picnic area available. The 30-acre (12 ha) property was acquired by the state in 1943. Other adjacent visitor attractions include Trinidad State Beach, Sue-meg State Park, and Fort Humboldt State Historic Park.From the Wikipedia article “Azalea State Natural Reserve”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Azalea State Natural Reserve the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 58° ENE | 8:52 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 121° ESE | 4:52 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 14m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 34m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 28m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 06m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 50m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 15m |
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 Azalea State Natural Reserve, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:45 AM – 5:55 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:41 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:58 PM – 3:28 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:48 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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: 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 ≈ 19.59 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ 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 61% 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 | 67 | 67 | 68 | 72 | 78 | 82 | 76 | 75 | 88 | 79 | 67 | 62 |
| Low °F | 35 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 43 | 47 | 49 | 51 | 48 | 44 | 39 | 35 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.5 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 10.8 |
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 state park
- 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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Azalea State Natural Reserve, closest first.
Sand Dunes
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Lighthouse
Natural Arch
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Azalea State Natural Reserve?
What time is golden hour at Azalea State Natural Reserve?
Where does the sun rise and set at Azalea State Natural Reserve?
Can you see the Milky Way from Azalea State Natural Reserve?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Azalea State Natural Reserve?
How far is Azalea State Natural Reserve from McKinleyville?
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.