Gray Whale Cove State Beach — a state park in San Mateo County, California — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.6 km (1.6 mi) N of Montara.
Gray Whale Cove State Beach is a California State Park between Pacifica, California, and Montara, California, by Highway 1 and approximately 18 miles south of San Francisco. It features a sheltered cove surrounded by abrupt cliffs, with trails connecting to nearby Montara Mountain and McNee Ranch State Park. It is located just south of Devil's Slide. The 3.1-acre (1.3 ha) park was established in 1966. Montara State Marine Reserve & Pillar Point State Marine Conservation Area extend offshore from Montara, just south of Gray Whale Cove. Like underwater parks, these marine protected areas help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems.From the Wikipedia article “Gray Whale Cove State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gray Whale Cove State Beach 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:35 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Gray Whale Cove State Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:47 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 19.01 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September is the warmest month and January 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 | 67 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 84 | 78 | 65 |
| Low °F | 36 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 51 | 47 | 39 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
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 Gray Whale Cove State Beach, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Beach
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Lake
Beach
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Rob Hill Group Campground26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels Only (Auxiliary Engine Ok)28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Bicentennial Campground30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gray Whale Cove State Beach?
What time is golden hour at Gray Whale Cove State Beach?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Gray Whale Cove State Beach?
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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.