Located in San Diego County, California, Carlsbad State Beach is a state park. The nearest town is Carlsbad, about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) away (Carlsbad State Beach lies SSE of town).
Carlsbad State Beach is a protected beach in the state park system of California, United States, located in Carlsbad. It is a San Diego County beach with coastal bluffs. Popular activities include swimming, surfing and bodyboarding several nearby breaks, scuba diving, fishing, and beachcombing. Many visitors camp on the campsites on top of the cliffs. Access to the beach is through the multiple staircases and also one ramp. There are 220 campsites total. Amenities include showers, bathrooms, electricity, water, Wi-Fi, and a camp store. The 44-acre (18 ha) park was established in 1933.From the Wikipedia article “Carlsbad State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Carlsbad 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) | 6:54 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 61° ENE | 8:02 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 118° ESE | 4:47 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 57m |
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 | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:00 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 20m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:55 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 58m |
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 Carlsbad State Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:18 AM – 5:08 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:30 AM – 5:30 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:27 AM – 4:47 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:28 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:43 PM – 3:53 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:39 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:06 PM – 12:26 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:20 PM – 10:20 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:39 PM – 8:29 PM | 0.8 | 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 ≈ 18.28 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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Carlsbad State Beach, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
State Park
State Park
CanyonFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Carlsbad State Beach?
What time is golden hour at Carlsbad State Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Carlsbad State Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Carlsbad State Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Carlsbad State Beach?
How far is Carlsbad State Beach from Carlsbad?
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.