Located in Kern County, California, Red Rock Canyon State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 28 km (17 mi) N of California City.
Red Rock Canyon State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of California which features scenic desert cliffs, buttes and spectacular rock formations. The park consists of approximately 27,000 acres (110 km2) within the Mojave Sector of the Tehachapi District of the California State Park System, and is located along State Highway 14 in Kern County, about 80 miles (129 km) east of Bakersfield and 25 miles (40 km) north of Mojave, where the southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada converges with the El Paso Mountains.From the Wikipedia article “Red Rock Canyon State Park (California)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Red Rock Canyon 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 60° ENE | 8:11 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:58 AM | 119° ESE | 4:44 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 46m |
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 | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 02m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 32m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 19m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 47m |
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 Red Rock Canyon State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | 4:40 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:44 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 4:44 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:49 PM – 3:59 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:56 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:52 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:15 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:26 PM – 10:16 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:23 PM | 0.7 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.25 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 13% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (42%). 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 | 77 | 85 | 88 | 96 | 106 | 112 | 113 | 113 | 110 | 99 | 85 | 74 |
| Low °F | 22 | 24 | 24 | 29 | 37 | 42 | 57 | 54 | 43 | 35 | 24 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.1 |
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
- 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 Red Rock Canyon State Park, closest first.
Canyon
Natural Arch
Wilderness Area
Rock Formation
Ghost Town
Wilderness AreaWilderness Area
Mountain Pass
Ghost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Red Rock Canyon State Park?
What time is golden hour at Red Rock Canyon State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Red Rock Canyon State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Red Rock Canyon State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Red Rock Canyon State Park?
How far is Red Rock Canyon State Park from California City?
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.