Calaveras Big Trees State Park is a state park in Calaveras County, California. The nearest town is Arnold, about 5.6 km (3.5 mi) away (Calaveras Big Trees State Park lies ENE of town).
Calaveras Big Trees State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving two groves of giant sequoia trees. Located four miles (6.4 km) northeast of Arnold in the middle elevations of the Sierra Nevada, it has been a major tourist attraction since 1852, when the existence of the trees was first widely reported. Two famous exhibition trees, the Discovery Tree and the Mother of the Forest, were felled for display. It is also considered the longest continuously operated tourist attraction in California. Part of the natural area is old-growth forest and recognized by the Old-Growth Forest Network. The park is home to the most northern grove of Giant Sequoia in the state.From the Wikipedia article “Calaveras Big Trees State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Calaveras Big Trees State 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) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 59° ENE | 8:29 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 120° ESE | 4:45 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 31m |
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 Calaveras Big Trees State 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:59 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:06 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 4:41 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:23 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:16 PM – 2:16 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:12 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: 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 ≈ 21.12 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 70 | 75 | 84 | 97 | 104 | 107 | 103 | 107 | 97 | 83 | 70 |
| Low °F | 17 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 32 | 38 | 46 | 46 | 38 | 32 | 12 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 6.0 |
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 Calaveras Big Trees State Park, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
National ForestScenic Viewpoint
Cave
Cave
National Forest
Cave
State Park
Natural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Waka Lu Hep Yo8.4 km (5.2 mi) · reservable
- Sand Bar Flat Campground15.3 km (9.5 mi)
- Beardsley Dam Campground20 km (12 mi)
- Fraser Flat Campground22 km (14 mi)
- Teleli Pulaya (Black Oak) Campground23 km (14 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Calaveras Big Trees State Park?
What time is golden hour at Calaveras Big Trees State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Calaveras Big Trees State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Calaveras Big Trees State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Calaveras Big Trees State Park?
How far is Calaveras Big Trees State Park from Arnold?
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.