Humboldt Redwoods State Park — a state park in Humboldt County, California — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 24 km (15 mi) SSE of Rio Dell.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park is a state park of California, United States, containing Rockefeller Forest, the world's largest remaining contiguous old-growth forest of coast redwoods. It is located 30 miles (48 km) south of Eureka, California, near Weott in southern Humboldt County, within Northern California, named after the great German nineteenth-century scientist, Alexander von Humboldt. The park was established by the Save the Redwoods League in 1921 largely from lands purchased from the Pacific Lumber Company. Beginning with the dedication of the Raynal Bolling Memorial Grove, it has grown to become the third-largest park in the California State Park system, now containing 51,651 acres (20,902 ha) through acquisitions and gifts to the state. Part of the natural area is old-growth forest and recognized by Old-Growth Forest Network.From the Wikipedia article “Humboldt Redwoods State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Humboldt Redwoods State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 58° ENE | 8:50 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 121° ESE | 4:54 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 18m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 37m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 25m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 02m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 46m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 19m |
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 Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:44 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.2 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:37 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:52 PM – 3:42 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 2:13 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 12:17 AM | 2.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.86 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 71 | 72 | 86 | 86 | 94 | 104 | 105 | 103 | 105 | 96 | 83 | 71 |
| Low °F | 20 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 30 | 35 | 43 | 43 | 35 | 29 | 22 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 5.9 | 10.8 |
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 Humboldt Redwoods State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
State Park
Wilderness Area
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Humboldt Redwoods State Park?
What time is golden hour at Humboldt Redwoods State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Humboldt Redwoods State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Humboldt Redwoods State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Humboldt Redwoods State Park?
How far is Humboldt Redwoods State Park from Rio Dell?
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.