Bolsa Chica State Beach is a state park in Orange County, California. The nearest town is Huntington Beach, about 6.0 km (3.7 mi) away (Bolsa Chica State Beach lies NW of town).
Bolsa Chica State Beach is a public ocean beach in Orange County, California, United States. It is surrounded entirely by the city of Huntington Beach to the north and east, and to the northwest by the Huntington Beach community of Sunset Beach and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The beach extends 3 miles (5 km) from Warner Avenue in Sunset Beach south to Seapoint Avenue, where the Huntington City Beach begins. The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is located across Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from the beach and is a popular spot for birdwatching. The Bolsa Chica Bicycle Path runs along the length of the park through Huntington City Beach. Activities include surfing, sunbathing, water sports and fishing. Tent camping is not allowed at Bolsa Chica State Beach. Fire rings are available. Corky Carroll's Surf School operates within the state beach by Lifeguard Tower 18.From the Wikipedia article “Bolsa Chica State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bolsa Chica State Beach 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 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 61° ENE | 8:07 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:54 AM | 118° ESE | 4:48 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 55m |
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 | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:34 PM | 10h 10m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 54m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 56m |
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 Bolsa Chica State Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:31 AM – 5:11 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:41 AM – 4:51 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:43 PM – 4:13 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:49 PM – 3:49 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:45 PM – 2:25 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:11 PM – 12:21 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:24 PM – 10:24 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.7 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.29 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (68%). September 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 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 78 | 76 | 77 | 80 | 76 | 84 | 87 | 78 | 74 |
| Low °F | 49 | 49 | 48 | 49 | 53 | 54 | 57 | 58 | 58 | 57 | 52 | 49 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.6 |
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.
- 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 Bolsa Chica State Beach, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
State Park
Botanical Garden
LighthouseLighthouse
Natural Arch
Lighthouse
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bolsa Chica State Beach?
What time is golden hour at Bolsa Chica State Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bolsa Chica State Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bolsa Chica State Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bolsa Chica State Beach?
How far is Bolsa Chica State Beach from Huntington Beach?
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.