Castaic Lake State Recreation Area is a state park in Los Angeles County, California. The nearest town is Castaic, about 5.2 km (3.2 mi) away (Castaic Lake State Recreation Area lies N of town).
Castaic Lake (Chumash: Kaštiq) is a reservoir formed by Castaic Dam on Castaic Creek, in the Sierra Pelona Mountains of northwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, near the town of Castaic. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has issued a safety advisory for any fish caught in Castaic Lake and Castaic Lagoon due to elevated levels of mercury and PCBs.From the Wikipedia article “Castaic Lake”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Castaic Lake State Recreation Area 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 61° ENE | 8:11 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:58 AM | 118° ESE | 4:49 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 15m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 51m |
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 Castaic Lake State Recreation Area, 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 6 (bright 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:32 AM – 5:12 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 4:44 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:55 PM – 3:55 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:30 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:25 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:44 PM – 8:24 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.26 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 January as the cloudiest (42%). 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 | 80 | 84 | 87 | 93 | 99 | 109 | 110 | 107 | 112 | 101 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 24 | 25 | 26 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 50 | 51 | 43 | 35 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.4 |
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 Castaic Lake State Recreation Area, closest first.
Canyon
Canyon
Lake
Ghost Town
Lake
Canyon
Lake
Mountain Pass
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Zuni Campground14.8 km (9.2 mi)
- Streamside Campground16.6 km (10.3 mi)
- Sawmill Campground18.9 km (11.7 mi)
- Upper Shake Campground18.9 km (11.7 mi)
- Pyramid Lake - Los Alamos Campground19.1 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Castaic Lake State Recreation Area?
What time is golden hour at Castaic Lake State Recreation Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Castaic Lake State Recreation Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Castaic Lake State Recreation Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Castaic Lake State Recreation Area?
How far is Castaic Lake State Recreation Area from Castaic?
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.