Fort Tejon is a state park in Kern County, California. The nearest town is Lebec, about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away (Fort Tejon lies NW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fort Tejon in California is a former United States Army outpost which was intermittently active from June 24, 1854, until September 11, 1864. It is located in the Grapevine Canyon (La Cañada de las Uvas) between the San Emigdio Mountains and Tehachapi Mountains. It is in the area of the Tejon Pass along Interstate 5 in Kern County, California, the main route through the mountain ranges separating the Central Valley from the Los Angeles Basin and Southern California. The fort's location protected the San Joaquin Valley from the south and west.From the Wikipedia article “Fort Tejon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fort Tejon 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 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 60° ENE | 8:13 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:00 AM | 119° ESE | 4:49 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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 | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 50m |
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 Fort Tejon, 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:34 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:48 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:47 AM – 4:47 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:51 PM – 4:11 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:58 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:53 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:18 PM – 12:28 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:30 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.7 | 16° | 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 ≈ 20.78 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
- 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.
- 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 Fort Tejon, closest first.
Lake
Mountain Pass
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Lake
Hot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Chuchupate Campground13.9 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Mcgill Campground And Group Campground19.7 km (12.3 mi) · reservable
- Mt. Pinos Campground20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Pyramid Lake - Los Alamos Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Pyramid Lake - Emigrant Landing Day Use Area27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fort Tejon?
What time is golden hour at Fort Tejon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fort Tejon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fort Tejon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fort Tejon?
How far is Fort Tejon from Lebec?
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.