The mouth of Waddell Creek at Waddell Beach in Big Basin Redwoods State Park. As seen from the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail — in Santa Cruz County, California.
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37.1725° N122.2230° WBortle 5Los Angeles

Big Basin Redwoods State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Santa Cruz County, California

  • Bortle 5 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Gnissah · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Big Basin Redwoods State Park is a state park in Santa Cruz County, California. It sits roughly 10.3 km (6.4 mi) WNW of Boulder Creek.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of California, located in Santa Cruz County, about 36 km (22 mi) northwest of Santa Cruz. The park contains almost all of the Waddell Creek watershed, which was formed by the seismic uplift of its rim, and the erosion of its center by the many streams in its bowl-shaped depression. Part of the natural area is old-growth forest and recognized by the Old-Growth Forest Network.From the Wikipedia article “Big Basin Redwoods State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Boulder Creek
10.3 km (6.4 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 5
Suburban sky
Clearest month
October
44% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:58 PM
sunset 6:33 PM

Light at Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:22 AM
Sunset
6:27 PM
Golden hour AM
7:06 AM – 7:58 AM
Golden hour PM
5:51 PM – 6:43 PM
Blue hour AM
6:56 AM – 7:06 AM
Blue hour PM
6:43 PM – 6:53 PM
Full darkness
7:53 PM – 5:56 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:35 PM / 1:37 AM
Day length
11h 05m
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 Big Basin Redwoods State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:13 AM90° E7:21 PM271° W53°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:50 AM59° ENE8:33 PM301° WNW76°14h 43m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:57 AM89° E7:07 PM271° W53°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:20 AM119° ESE4:56 PM241° WSW29°9h 36m

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
January6:54 AM7:22 AM8:02 AM4:36 PM5:16 PM5:44 PM9h 53m
February6:32 AM6:59 AM7:35 AM5:13 PM5:49 PM6:16 PM10h 51m
March6:55 AM7:21 AM7:55 AM6:42 PM7:17 PM7:43 PM11h 56m
April6:08 AM6:35 AM7:10 AM7:09 PM7:44 PM8:11 PM13h 09m
May5:32 AM6:01 AM6:38 AM7:34 PM8:11 PM8:40 PM14h 10m
June5:18 AM5:49 AM6:28 AM7:53 PM8:31 PM9:02 PM14h 42m
July5:31 AM6:01 AM6:39 AM7:52 PM8:30 PM9:00 PM14h 28m
August5:59 AM6:26 AM7:02 AM7:27 PM8:02 PM8:30 PM13h 36m
September6:26 AM6:52 AM7:26 AM6:44 PM7:18 PM7:44 PM12h 26m
October6:51 AM7:17 AM7:52 AM5:58 PM6:33 PM6:59 PM11h 16m
November6:21 AM6:49 AM7:27 AM4:22 PM5:00 PM5:28 PM10h 11m
December6:47 AM7:16 AM7:57 AM4:13 PM4:54 PM5:23 PM9h 37m

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 Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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—-1°—
February5:07 AM – 5:27 AM0.314°SE → SE
March4:13 AM – 5:43 AM1.520°SE → SSE
April2:06 AM – 4:56 AM2.824°SE → S
May12:15 AM – 4:15 AM4.024°SE → SSW
June10:25 PM – 3:55 AM5.524°SE → SW
July10:19 PM – 2:29 AM4.224°SSE → SW
August9:39 PM – 12:29 AM2.824°S → SW
September8:46 PM – 10:26 PM1.720°SSW → SW
October8:00 PM – 8:20 PM0.314°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
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 ≈ 19.97 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F676976808788788594847865
Low °F364041434548515351473936
Precip. (in)3.43.72.91.60.60.20.10.10.11.02.24.4

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

  • 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 Big Basin Redwoods State Park, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Mount McAbee Overlook2.2 km away · Santa Cruz County · 537 m
Waterfall
Berry Creek Falls3.7 km away · Santa Cruz County · 127 m
Waterfall
Silver Falls4.3 km away · Santa Cruz County · 206 m
Waterfall
Golden Falls4.4 km away · Santa Cruz County · 232 m
Tip Toe FallsWaterfall
Tip Toe Falls8.4 km away · San Mateo County
Butano State ParkState Park
Butano State Park8.9 km away · San Mateo County
Portola Redwoods State ParkState Park
Portola Redwoods State Park9.9 km away · Santa Clara County
Año Nuevo State ParkState Park
Año Nuevo State Park11 km away · San Mateo County
Waterfall
Butano Falls11 km away · San Mateo County · 123 m

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Big Basin Redwoods State Park?
October 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 Big Basin Redwoods State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:58 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:33 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:52 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Big Basin Redwoods State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Big Basin Redwoods State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 5 (suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Big Basin Redwoods 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 Big Basin Redwoods State Park from Boulder Creek?
About 10.3 km (6.4 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.