Manresa State Beach is a state park in Santa Cruz County, California. The nearest town is La Selva Beach, about 600 m away (Manresa State Beach lies SE of town).
Manresa State Beach is a state-protected beach on Monterey Bay in La Selva Beach, California near Watsonville in Santa Cruz County. Manresa State Beach has two different State owned and operated facilities associated with it: Manresa Main State Beach, and Manresa Uplands State Beach and Campground. The campground is tent only, hosting 60 sites. It is operated by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. The 138-acre (56 ha) site was established as a California State Beach in 1948. Manresa Main State Beach hosts the junior lifeguard program which teaches lifesaving, fitness and water safety to children.From the Wikipedia article “Manresa State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Manresa State Beach 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 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 60° ENE | 8:31 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 119° ESE | 4:55 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 | 6:52 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 27m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 39m |
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 Manresa State Beach, 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 | 5:05 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:11 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:04 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:12 AM – 4:12 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:21 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:15 PM – 2:25 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 12:26 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 10:24 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:28 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 ≈ 19.47 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (49%). 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 | 77 | 83 | 92 | 103 | 108 | 113 | 110 | 113 | 102 | 90 | 77 |
| Low °F | 20 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 37 | 42 | 47 | 48 | 44 | 36 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 4.1 |
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.
- 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 Manresa State Beach, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State Park
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Manresa State Beach?
What time is golden hour at Manresa State Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Manresa State Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Manresa State Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Manresa State Beach?
How far is Manresa State Beach from La Selva Beach?
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.