Marsh Creek State Park is a state park in Contra Costa County, California. The nearest town is Brentwood, about 6.1 km (3.8 mi) away (Marsh Creek State Park lies SW of town).
Marsh Creek State Park is a State Historic Park in east Contra Costa County, California, United States. About 3.3 miles (5.3 km) south of downtown Brentwood. The park, named for the creek flowing through the property, contains the historic stone John Marsh house, ranching buildings, and numerous pre-historic archaeological sites. The creek is named for the ranch's former owner and California pioneer John Marsh (1799–1856), who was a doctor, rancher, landowner and the first non-Hispanic European to settle in what is now Contra Costa County, California. The park is not yet open to the public.From the Wikipedia article “Marsh Creek State Park (California)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Marsh Creek State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 59° ENE | 8:33 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 120° ESE | 4:52 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Marsh Creek State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:48 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:20 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:16 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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 ≈ 19.23 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 12% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (54%). 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 | 74 | 77 | 85 | 95 | 108 | 110 | 116 | 113 | 114 | 103 | 89 | 71 |
| Low °F | 22 | 27 | 29 | 32 | 39 | 43 | 49 | 50 | 46 | 38 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 3.6 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Marsh Creek State Park, closest first.
Hot Spring
National Wildlife Refuge
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
Botanical Garden
Ghost Town
State Park
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Marsh Creek State Park?
What time is golden hour at Marsh Creek State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Marsh Creek State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Marsh Creek State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Marsh Creek State Park?
How far is Marsh Creek State Park from Brentwood?
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.