Plumas–Eureka State Park is a state park in Plumas County, California. The nearest town is Portola, about 21 km (13 mi) away (Plumas–Eureka State Park lies WSW of town).
Plumas-Eureka State Park is a California state park located in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range in Plumas County, California. The park, as a mining museum, shows and protects the history of the active mid-19th-century California Gold Rush mining period. As a large natural area, it shows and protects the serenity of the mountain's meadows, forests, lakes, and granite peaks. Camping, picnicking, biking, fishing, and hiking are offered. Eureka Peak, formerly Gold Mountain, was the site of some of the first organized ski races in North America. The National Longboard Championship, the longest running ski races since 1911, have been held in the Park at the Eureka Ski Bowl since 1993. Gold Discovery Days is a living history weekend held in July within the park. The celebration features mining-era demonstrations and activities.From the Wikipedia article “Plumas-Eureka State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Plumas–Eureka State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 58° ENE | 8:35 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 121° ESE | 4:42 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 22m |
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 Plumas–Eureka State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:02 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:05 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:05 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.68 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 64 | 67 | 70 | 76 | 89 | 98 | 102 | 100 | 98 | 90 | 77 | 62 |
| Low °F | 0 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 24 | 27 | 39 | 38 | 27 | 21 | -1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.6 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 7.9 |
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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- 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 Plumas–Eureka State Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointWaterfall
Mountain PeakWaterfallWaterfall
Mountain Pass
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Gold Lake Campground (Ca)10.7 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Gold Lake 4 X 4 Campground10.9 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Lakes Basin11.3 km (7.0 mi) · reservable
- Diablo15.4 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Berger15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Plumas–Eureka State Park?
What time is golden hour at Plumas–Eureka State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Plumas–Eureka State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Plumas–Eureka State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Plumas–Eureka State Park?
How far is Plumas–Eureka State Park from Portola?
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.