Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park — a state park in Del Norte County, California — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Bertsch-Oceanview, about 5.8 km (3.6 mi) away (Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park lies NE of town).
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving old-growth redwoods along the Smith River. It is located along U.S. Route 199 approximately 9 miles (14 km) east of Crescent City. The park is named after explorer Jedediah Smith, and is one of four parks cooperatively managed as Redwood National and State Parks. The other parks include the Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Redwood National Park. The 42.2-square-kilometre (16.3 mi2) park was established in 1929 and designated part of the California Coast Ranges International Biosphere Reserve in 1983.From the Wikipedia article “Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 57° ENE | 8:55 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 122° ESE | 4:49 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 33m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 10m |
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 Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:46 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:47 AM – 4:47 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:45 AM – 3:55 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 11:04 PM – 3:24 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:54 PM – 2:04 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:03 PM – 12:03 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:02 PM – 10:02 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.64 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 60% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 64 | 63 | 64 | 66 | 70 | 73 | 77 | 73 | 80 | 73 | 63 | 62 |
| Low °F | 38 | 39 | 37 | 41 | 44 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 49 | 44 | 42 | 37 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 7.2 | 11.6 |
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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- 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 Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Beach
Lake
Lighthouse
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Natural Arch
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Jedediah Smith Campground - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park2.0 km (1.2 mi)
- Mill Creek Campground - Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park8.8 km (5.5 mi)
- Panther Flat Campground15.7 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Grassy Flat Campground19.4 km (12.1 mi) · reservable
- Patrick Creek Campground23 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park?
What time is golden hour at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park?
How far is Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park from Bertsch-Oceanview?
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.