Picacho State Recreation Area — a state park in Imperial County, California — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Yuma, about 33 km (21 mi) away (Picacho State Recreation Area lies N of town).
Picacho State Recreation Area is a camping, boating, and general recreation area located on a 9-mile stretch of the lower Colorado River at the site of Picacho, a defunct gold mining town. Picacho is a popular wintertime/springtime destination for boating, fishing, hiking and camping. This remote park is located in the far southeastern corner of California and includes 54 campsites, 3 boat launches, and 5 river camps. Favorite activities at the park include stargazing, and bird and wildlife viewing (including the famous desert resident, the Bighorn sheep). The mining town of Picacho sat on this spot in the early 1900s. The remains of a stamp mill that was used to crush the gold ore during mining operations is a popular hiking destination. This section of the Colorado River is a popular stopover for migratory waterfowl - ducks, geese, ibis and cormorants - usually seen by the...From the Wikipedia article “Picacho State Recreation Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Picacho State Recreation Area the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:43 AM | 90° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 61° ENE | 7:51 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:27 AM | 89° E | 6:37 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:38 AM | 118° ESE | 4:36 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 58m |
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 | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 13m |
| February | 5:58 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:49 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:34 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 5:01 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:18 PM | 14h 19m |
| July | 5:13 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 5:36 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 5:58 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:18 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:44 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:46 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:04 PM | 10h 28m |
| December | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 59m |
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 Picacho State Recreation Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:07 AM – 4:57 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:19 AM – 5:19 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:15 AM – 4:35 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:16 PM – 3:56 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:31 PM – 3:41 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:27 PM – 2:17 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:55 PM – 12:15 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:09 PM – 10:09 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:28 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.65 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (38%). 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 | 87 | 90 | 99 | 104 | 114 | 123 | 121 | 118 | 118 | 108 | 97 | 84 |
| Low °F | 24 | 24 | 33 | 40 | 47 | 56 | 66 | 64 | 55 | 38 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
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 Picacho State Recreation Area, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Natural ArchScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallWaterfall
National Wildlife RefugeNatural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Picacho State Recreation Area?
What time is golden hour at Picacho State Recreation Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Picacho State Recreation Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Picacho State Recreation Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Picacho State Recreation Area?
How far is Picacho State Recreation Area from Yuma?
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.