California Citrus State Historic Park — a state park in Riverside County, California — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Woodcrest, about 6.2 km (3.9 mi) away (California Citrus State Historic Park lies WNW of town).
California Citrus State Historic Park is an open-air museum in the city of Riverside, California, United States. As part of the state park system of California, it interprets the historic cultural landscape of the citrus industry. The park’s museum exhibits and interpretive features share the story of the citrus industry's role in the history and development of Southern California, and is told through the experiences of the diverse migrant and immigrant groups who made it all possible. The 248-acre (100 ha) park was established in 1993. This California State Historic Park reveals the cultural, political, and environmental aspects of the time when "Citrus was King" in California, especially the Navel orange from Riverside, and recognizing the importance of the citrus industry in Southern California.From the Wikipedia article “California Citrus State Historic Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At California Citrus State Historic Park 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) | 6:54 AM | 90° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 61° ENE | 8:05 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:52 AM | 118° ESE | 4:45 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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 | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 12m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 55m |
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 California Citrus State Historic Park, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:28 AM – 5:08 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:41 AM – 5:31 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:39 AM – 4:49 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:42 PM – 4:02 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:48 PM – 3:48 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:44 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:09 PM – 12:19 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:22 PM – 10:22 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:40 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.48 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 28% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (43%). August 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 | 85 | 85 | 87 | 93 | 95 | 97 | 100 | 98 | 102 | 101 | 91 | 82 |
| Low °F | 35 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 47 | 49 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 48 | 38 | 38 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.3 |
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 California Citrus State Historic Park, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Canyon
Botanical Garden
Hot Spring
LakeCanyonCanyon
Mountain PeakCanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph California Citrus State Historic Park?
What time is golden hour at California Citrus State Historic Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at California Citrus State Historic Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from California Citrus State Historic Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at California Citrus State Historic Park?
How far is California Citrus State Historic Park from Woodcrest?
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.