Clear Lake State Park — a state park in Lake County, California — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.0 km (1.2 mi) WNW of Soda Bay.
Clear Lake State Park is a state park of California, United States, on Clear Lake. The park is popular for water recreation. Amenities include 149 developed campsites spread across four campground areas, two group campsites, a swimming beach with showers, a boat launch, and a marina. Since the area is a major breeding ground for grebes, there's a broad "no wake" zone in the Cole Creek launch area and near the reedy shoreline, which is conducive to canoeing and kayaking. The 590-acre (240 ha) park was established in 1949.From the Wikipedia article “Clear Lake State Park (California)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Clear Lake 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:41 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 25m |
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 | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 53m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Clear Lake State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:18 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:25 AM – 4:05 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:38 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 12:17 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:12 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:12 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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 ≈ 20.78 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 10% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 72 | 79 | 90 | 103 | 111 | 116 | 113 | 110 | 102 | 88 | 72 |
| Low °F | 24 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 35 | 40 | 52 | 51 | 42 | 35 | 24 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.8 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 6.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Clear Lake State Park, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Lake
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Wilderness Area
Hot SpringFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Clear Lake State Park?
What time is golden hour at Clear Lake State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Clear Lake State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Clear Lake State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Clear Lake State Park?
How far is Clear Lake State Park from Soda Bay?
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.