Brannan Island State Recreation Area is a state park in Sacramento County, California. It sits roughly 5.4 km (3.4 mi) S of Rio Vista.
Brannan Island State Recreation Area is a state park unit of California, United States, preserving a maze of waterways in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta. The recreation area is located in Sacramento County between Rio Vista and Isleton. This park northeast of San Francisco Bay has countless islands and marshes with many wildlife habitats and many opportunities for recreation, including boating, windsurfing and swimming. The 329-acre (133 ha) park was established in 1952. The area offers fishing, including striped bass, sturgeon, catfish, bluegill, perch and bullhead. Southeast, accessed by the San Joaquin River, Frank’s Tract, a protected wetland marsh, is home to beaver, muskrat, river otter, mink and 76 species of birds. Another wetland also managed by Brannan Island's Park Rangers is Delta Meadows River Park near the town of Locke. Canoe tours of 'the meadows' may be...From the Wikipedia article “Brannan Island State Recreation Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Brannan Island State Recreation Area 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 241° (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) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 59° ENE | 8:34 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 120° ESE | 4:51 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 9h 31m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Brannan Island State Recreation Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:20 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:16 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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 ≈ 19.76 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 11% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 77 | 77 | 83 | 93 | 107 | 112 | 116 | 112 | 115 | 107 | 87 | 76 |
| Low °F | 24 | 26 | 29 | 33 | 38 | 45 | 51 | 52 | 47 | 40 | 26 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 4.5 |
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.
- 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 Brannan Island State Recreation Area, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Ghost Town
State Park
Lighthouse
Hot Spring
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Brannan Island State Recreation Area?
What time is golden hour at Brannan Island State Recreation Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Brannan Island State Recreation Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Brannan Island State Recreation Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Brannan Island State Recreation Area?
How far is Brannan Island State Recreation Area from Rio Vista?
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.