Malibu Creek State Park is a state park in Los Angeles County, California. It lies in or next to Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Agoura, about 5.3 km (3.3 mi) away (Malibu Creek State Park lies SSE of town).
Malibu Creek State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving the Malibu Creek canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains. The 8,215-acre (3,324 ha) park was established in 1974. Opened to the public in 1976, the park is also a component of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The site of a village called Talepop has been uncovered by archaeologists in the northeast corner of the park. The Chumash were most famous for their wood plank canoes, which they used to travel the coastline for hundreds of miles.From the Wikipedia article “Malibu Creek State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Malibu Creek State Park 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 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 61° ENE | 8:10 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:57 AM | 118° ESE | 4:50 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 53m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:02 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 54m |
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 Malibu Creek State Park, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 4:54 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:47 PM – 4:07 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:53 PM – 3:53 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:49 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:14 PM – 12:24 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:27 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:45 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.9 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (42%). 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 | 80 | 84 | 87 | 93 | 99 | 109 | 110 | 107 | 112 | 101 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 24 | 25 | 26 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 50 | 51 | 43 | 35 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.4 |
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
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Malibu Creek State Park, closest first.
Rock Formation
Canyon
State Park
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Beach
State Park
State Park
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Malibu Creek State Park?
What time is golden hour at Malibu Creek State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Malibu Creek State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Malibu Creek State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Malibu Creek State Park?
How far is Malibu Creek State Park from Agoura?
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.