Indio Hills Palms Park Property — a state park in Riverside County, California — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Sky Valley, about 6.5 km (4.0 mi) away (Indio Hills Palms Park Property lies SSE of town).
The Coachella Valley Preserve is a protected area in the Coachella Valley located east of Palm Springs near Palm Desert, California. It protects parts of the Indio Hills and its surrounding areas. It contains the Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the Indio Hills Palms Park Property, and the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve. All are in the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert and adjacent to the Lower Colorado River Valley region.From the Wikipedia article “Coachella Valley Preserve”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Indio Hills Palms Park Property the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 61° ENE | 8:00 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:47 AM | 118° ESE | 4:41 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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 | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:42 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:10 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 55m |
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 Indio Hills Palms Park Property, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (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 | 4:24 AM – 5:04 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:34 AM – 4:44 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:36 PM – 4:06 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:42 PM – 3:42 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:38 PM – 2:18 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:04 PM – 12:14 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:17 PM – 10:17 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:35 PM – 8:15 PM | 0.7 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.06 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (41%). 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 | 84 | 90 | 94 | 100 | 109 | 117 | 118 | 115 | 115 | 104 | 92 | 82 |
| Low °F | 26 | 28 | 33 | 37 | 42 | 48 | 59 | 56 | 48 | 40 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
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 Indio Hills Palms Park Property, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Botanical Garden
Canyon
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Rock Formation
Waterfall
CanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ryan Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Sheep Pass Group26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Black Rock Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Black Rock Equestrian Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Jumbo Rocks Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Indio Hills Palms Park Property?
What time is golden hour at Indio Hills Palms Park Property?
Where does the sun rise and set at Indio Hills Palms Park Property?
Can you see the Milky Way from Indio Hills Palms Park Property?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Indio Hills Palms Park Property?
How far is Indio Hills Palms Park Property from Sky Valley?
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.