San Bruno Mountain State Park is a state park in San Mateo County, California. It sits roughly 2.4 km (1.5 mi) ENE of Colma.
San Bruno Mountain State Park, officially San Bruno Mountain State and County Park, is a park located in northern San Mateo County, California. It is adjacent to the southern boundary of San Francisco and borders the cities of Brisbane, South San Francisco, Colma and Daly City. San Bruno Mountain State Park is a landmark of local and regional significance, standing as a unique open-space island in the midst of the peninsula's urbanization at the northern end of the Santa Cruz Mountain Range. The park is dominated by San Bruno Mountain which is a 4 miles (6.4 km) ridge. The park provides habitat for several species of rare and endangered plants and butterflies, including the Mission blue butterfly. Trails to the summit afford views of San Francisco and the Bay Area.From the Wikipedia article “San Bruno Mountain State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Bruno Mountain State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (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 | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 59° ENE | 8:35 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:55 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 34m |
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 San Bruno Mountain State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:29 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.0 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
- 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.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 San Bruno Mountain State Park, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
State Park
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Lake
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Rob Hill Group Campground12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels Only (Auxiliary Engine Ok)13.7 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Kirby Cove Campground17.8 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
- Bicentennial Campground17.9 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
- Hawk Campground20 km (12 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Bruno Mountain State Park?
What time is golden hour at San Bruno Mountain State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Bruno Mountain State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Bruno Mountain State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Bruno Mountain State Park?
How far is San Bruno Mountain State Park from Colma?
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.