Located in Monterey County, California, Moss Landing State Beach is a state park. It sits roughly 4.7 km (2.9 mi) WSW of Elkhorn.
Moss Landing State Beach is a state park on Monterey Bay, in Monterey County, California.From the Wikipedia article “Moss Landing State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Moss Landing 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 | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 60° ENE | 8:30 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 119° ESE | 4:55 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 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 | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 27m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:13 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 Moss Landing State Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February 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 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:55 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:11 AM – 5:51 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:03 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 4:11 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:20 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:14 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 12:25 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: 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 ≈ 19.94 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- 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 Moss Landing State Beach, closest first.
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
Mountain PassFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Moss Landing State Beach?
What time is golden hour at Moss Landing State Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Moss Landing State Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Moss Landing State Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Moss Landing State Beach?
How far is Moss Landing State Beach from Elkhorn?
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.