Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park is a state park in El Dorado County, California. It sits roughly 11.1 km (6.9 mi) NW of Placerville.
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park is a state park of California, United States, marking the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in 1848, sparking the California Gold Rush. The park grounds include much of the historic town of Coloma, California, which is now considered a ghost town as well as a National Historic Landmark District. The park contains the California Historical Landmarks: a monument to commemorate James Marshall (#143), the actual spot where he first discovered gold in 1848 (#530) and Coloma Road (#748). Established in 1942, the park now comprises 576 acres (233 ha) in El Dorado County.From the Wikipedia article “Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 59° ENE | 8:33 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 120° ESE | 4:46 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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 | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 28m |
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 Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:11 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:46 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 3:57 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:29 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:12 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 12:09 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 10:04 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:15 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.48 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 December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 72 | 70 | 75 | 84 | 97 | 104 | 107 | 103 | 107 | 97 | 83 | 70 |
| Low °F | 17 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 32 | 38 | 46 | 46 | 38 | 32 | 12 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 6.0 |
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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- 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 Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, closest first.
CanyonCanyon
Botanical Garden
Ghost Town
State Park
Ghost Town
Waterfall
Lake
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Dru Barner Campground19.2 km (11.9 mi)
- Dru Barner Campground19.2 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
- Ponderosa Cove Campground26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Sly Guard Cabin27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Stumpy Meadows28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park?
What time is golden hour at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park?
How far is Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park from Placerville?
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.