Pescadero State Beach — a state park in San Mateo County, California — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) SW of Portola Valley.
Pescadero State Beach (English: fisherman beach) is alongside State Route 1, located 14.5 miles (23.3 km) south of Half Moon Bay and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the city of Pescadero, in San Mateo County, California. The beach has a 1 mile (1.6 km)-long shoreline with sandy coves, rocky cliffs, tide pools, fishing spots and picnic facilities. Across the highway is Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve, a popular spot for bird watchers and other naturalists.From the Wikipedia article “Pescadero State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pescadero State Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (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 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 | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:34 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 119° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 36m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 53m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 10m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 43m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 29m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 11m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 37m |
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 Pescadero State Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:07 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 4:16 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:26 PM – 3:56 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 2:30 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:30 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:27 PM | 1.7 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 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 ≈ 20.2 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
- 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 Pescadero State Beach, closest first.
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BeachWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pescadero State Beach?
What time is golden hour at Pescadero State Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pescadero State Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pescadero State Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pescadero State Beach?
How far is Pescadero State Beach from Portola Valley?
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.