Located in Merced County, California, Pacheco State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 28 km (17 mi) NE of Hollister.
Pacheco State Park is a California State Park to the south of Pacheco Pass in the Diablo Range, located mostly in western Merced County, California but extending into southeastern Santa Clara County and near Hollister in San Benito County. Located 24 miles (39 km) west of Los Banos, California and 20 miles (32 km) east of Gilroy, the park entrance is on Dinosaur Point Road, a short distance from California State Route 152 near Pacheco Pass. The park contains 6,890 acres (2,790 ha), though only the western 2,600 acres (1,100 ha) to the west are open to the public. The eastern two-thirds of the park are closed due to an underdeveloped trail system and safety concerns over the numerous wind turbines that are located in the Gonzaga Wind Farm that occupies the area. In 2018, it was announced that the 1980s-era turbines would be replaced with more efficient models, which would increase...From the Wikipedia article “Pacheco State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pacheco State Park 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 76° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 60° ENE | 8:29 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 119° ESE | 4:52 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 | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 38m |
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 Pacheco State Park, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:03 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:02 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:10 AM – 4:10 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:19 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:13 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:24 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 10:22 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:26 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.93 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
- 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.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Pacheco State Park, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pacheco State Park?
What time is golden hour at Pacheco State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pacheco State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pacheco State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pacheco State Park?
How far is Pacheco State Park from Hollister?
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.