Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park — a state park in Napa County, California — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Deer Park, about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) away (Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park lies WNW of town).
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park is a California state park located in Napa County between St. Helena and Calistoga. The park is the site of a water-powered grist mill that was built in 1846 is one of only two water-driven mills remaining west of the Mississippi River.From the Wikipedia article “Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park 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 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:38 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 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 | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:21 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:22 AM – 4:02 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:34 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:17 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.2 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 19% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (57%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 73 | 75 | 76 | 87 | 100 | 106 | 109 | 107 | 112 | 103 | 87 | 71 |
| Low °F | 25 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 35 | 42 | 48 | 48 | 45 | 37 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 5.1 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 6.2 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, closest first.
State Park
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Hot Spring
State Park
State Park
Natural Arch
State Park
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park?
What time is golden hour at Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park?
How far is Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park from Deer Park?
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.