Located in San Mateo County, California, Montara State Beach is a state park. It sits roughly 700 m NNE of Montara.
Montara State Beach is a beach located in the coastal region of the U.S. state of California, eight miles north of Half Moon Bay on State Route 1. West of Highway 1, it showcases high bluffs and sandy shores. It is operated by the California State Department of Parks and Recreation under the San Mateo Coast Sector Office. It is one of the cleanest beaches in the state and is known for surfing, sunbathing, nature study and fishing. Montara State Marine Reserve & Pillar Point State Marine Conservation Area extends offshore from Montara State Beach.From the Wikipedia article “Montara State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Montara State Beach 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) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:35 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 35m |
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 Montara State Beach, 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 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:47 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 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 ≈ 19.1 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September is the warmest month and January 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 | 67 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 84 | 78 | 65 |
| Low °F | 36 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 51 | 47 | 39 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
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
- 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 Montara State Beach, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
Beach
State Park
Beach
Lake
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Montara State Beach?
What time is golden hour at Montara State Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Montara State Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Montara State Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Montara State Beach?
How far is Montara State Beach from Montara?
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.