Saddleback Butte State Park — a state park in Los Angeles County, California — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 7.4 km (4.6 mi) NNE of Lake Los Angeles.
Saddleback Butte State Park is a state park in the Antelope Valley of the western Mojave Desert, in Southern California. It is located east of Lancaster, north of the community of Lake Los Angeles, and south of Edwards in the unincorporated community of Hi Vista. The prominent feature and namesake of the park is Saddleback Butte, a butte that is 3,651 feet (1,113 m) high. Saddleback Butte State Park includes over 2,955 acres (4.617 sq mi) of land, and was created in 1960 to protect the area's Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) desert habitat. A local community activist and conservationist, Jane S. Pinheiro, was instrumental in the creation of Saddleback Butte State Park. She succeeded in persuading the California State Assembly to set aside the acreage for the park, which was originally called Joshua Tree State Park.. Later, to avoid confusion with Joshua Tree National Monument, the...From the Wikipedia article “Saddleback Butte State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Saddleback Butte State Park 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 61° ENE | 8:08 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 118° ESE | 4:45 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
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 | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 51m |
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 Saddleback Butte 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 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:29 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:43 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 4:42 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:46 PM – 4:06 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:53 PM – 3:43 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:48 PM – 2:18 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:13 PM – 12:23 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:41 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.7 | 16° | 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: 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 ≈ 20.15 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (44%). 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 | 82 | 87 | 93 | 103 | 110 | 111 | 109 | 109 | 98 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 22 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 35 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 40 | 33 | 24 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
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 Saddleback Butte State Park, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Saddleback Butte State Park?
What time is golden hour at Saddleback Butte State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Saddleback Butte State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Saddleback Butte State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Saddleback Butte State Park?
How far is Saddleback Butte State Park from Lake Los Angeles?
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.