Cayucos State Beach is a state park in San Luis Obispo County, California. The nearest town is Cayucos, about 1.4 km (0.9 mi) away (Cayucos State Beach lies WNW of town).
Cayucos State Beach is a protected beach in the state park system of California, United States. It is located in Cayucos, San Luis Obispo County. The sandy beach environment supports uses of swimming and surfing. Prehistorically this general area of the central coast was inhabited by the Chumash people, who settled the coastal San Luis Obispo area approximately 10,000 to 11,000 BCE, including a large village to the south of Cayucos at Morro Creek. The 16-acre (6.5 ha) park was established in 1940.From the Wikipedia article “Cayucos State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cayucos State Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 60° ENE | 8:23 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 119° ESE | 4:55 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 46m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 02m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 32m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 19m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 47m |
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 Cayucos State Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | 4:52 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:57 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:57 AM – 4:57 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:02 AM – 4:12 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:10 PM – 4:00 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:05 PM – 2:35 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 12:28 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.59 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (48%). 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 | 81 | 78 | 84 | 95 | 98 | 105 | 106 | 105 | 109 | 100 | 89 | 78 |
| Low °F | 25 | 29 | 32 | 34 | 40 | 43 | 50 | 49 | 47 | 40 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 2.6 |
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 Cayucos State Beach, closest first.
State Park
State Park
State Park
Mountain Peak
State Park
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cayucos State Beach?
What time is golden hour at Cayucos State Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cayucos State Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cayucos State Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cayucos State Beach?
How far is Cayucos State Beach from Cayucos?
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.