Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park is a state park in Glenn County, California. It sits roughly 1.3 km (0.8 mi) NE of Hamilton City.
Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving riparian habitat on the Sacramento River and its tributary Big Chico Creek. The park is located on the border of Butte County and Glenn County. Common activities include fishing for salmon, steelhead and shad; and floating the river on inner tubes, canoes or kayaks. The 349-acre (141 ha) property was established as a state park in 1979. The park's riparian habitat is an example of a disappearing natural resource. The riparian plant and animal communities depend on each other. Large oaks and cottonwoods give the shade needed for the survival of cool-water creatures. Thick understories of elderberry, wild grape, blackberry, wild rose and perennials provide shelter to a diverse wildlife population.From the Wikipedia article “Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 58° ENE | 8:40 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 121° ESE | 4:47 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 7:28 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 22m |
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 Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:25 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 3:56 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:40 PM – 3:30 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 2:12 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 12:07 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:10 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.76 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 10% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 72 | 72 | 79 | 90 | 103 | 111 | 116 | 113 | 110 | 102 | 88 | 72 |
| Low °F | 24 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 35 | 40 | 52 | 51 | 42 | 35 | 24 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.8 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 6.6 |
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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- 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 Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Ghost Town
State Park
Canyon
Covered Bridge
LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park?
What time is golden hour at Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park?
How far is Bidwell–Sacramento River State Park from Hamilton City?
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.