San Clemente State Beach — a state park in Orange County, California — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is San Clemente, about 2.7 km (1.7 mi) away (San Clemente State Beach lies SSE of town).
San Clemente State Beach is a public beach that is located in the southern end of the city of San Clemente, California, United States. The beach is located at around the halfway point between the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego on the on I-5 Basilone Road. The beach has been the most popular beach in the state of California since 1937. A significant number of visitors are attracted to this beach due to its intense winds and dramatic locations, including the adjacent Surf Line. Dramatic landscapes such as the rugged sandstone cliffs have been a popular location for field trips. The majority of the beach visitors are water sports enthusiasts such as surfers and those who wish to escape from the inland heat and nearby metropolitan areas for the day.From the Wikipedia article “San Clemente State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Clemente State Beach 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 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 61° ENE | 8:04 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:51 AM | 118° ESE | 4:47 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 56m |
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 | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:01 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 57m |
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 Clemente State Beach, 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:29 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:31 AM – 5:31 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:28 AM – 4:48 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:30 PM – 4:10 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:45 PM – 3:55 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:41 PM – 2:31 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:08 PM – 12:28 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:22 PM – 10:22 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:40 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.7 | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.44 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 28% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (43%). August 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 | 85 | 85 | 87 | 93 | 95 | 97 | 100 | 98 | 102 | 101 | 91 | 82 |
| Low °F | 35 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 47 | 49 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 48 | 38 | 38 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.3 |
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 San Clemente State Beach, closest first.
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State Park
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Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
Natural ArchCanyon
CanyonFAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Clemente State Beach?
What time is golden hour at San Clemente State Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Clemente State Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Clemente State Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Clemente State Beach?
How far is San Clemente State Beach from San Clemente?
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.