Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is a state park in Santa Cruz County, California. The nearest town is Pasatiempo, about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away (Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park lies WNW of town).
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving mainly forest and riparian areas in the watershed of the San Lorenzo River, including a grove of old-growth coast redwood. It is located in Santa Cruz County, primarily in the area between the cities of Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley, near the community of Felton and the University of California, Santa Cruz. The park includes a non-contiguous extension in the Fall Creek area north of Felton. The 4,623-acre (1,871 ha) park was established in 1953.From the Wikipedia article “Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 60° ENE | 8:32 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 119° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 37m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 38m |
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 Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:05 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:13 AM – 4:13 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:22 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:16 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:27 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:25 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:29 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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
- 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.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park?
What time is golden hour at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park?
How far is Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park from Pasatiempo?
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.