Located at Schooner Gulch State Beach along the Mendocino coast in California is Bowling Ball Beach. An interesting geologic phenomena can be observed during lo
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38.8681° N123.6550° WBortle 3Los Angeles

Schooner Gulch State Beach Photography Guide

State Park in Mendocino County, California

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Lisa Redfern · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Located in Mendocino County, California, Schooner Gulch State Beach is a state park. It sits roughly 24 km (15 mi) NW of Sea Ranch.

Schooner Gulch State Beach is a public beach located in Mendocino County, California. It is located approximately 50 miles northwest of Santa Rosa. The park is famous for Bowling Ball Beach, where visitors can view natural spherical sandstone concretions at low tide. Visitors to the beach come to surf, fish, and picnic. Hiking is also a very popular activity at this beach, and there are multiple trails along the coast. The long-abandoned settlement of Schooner Gulch, California was located in the area, but no trace remains within the park.From the Wikipedia article “Schooner Gulch State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Sea Ranch
24 km (15 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
June
45% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:01 PM
sunset 6:37 PM

Light at Schooner Gulch State Beach

Live
Sunrise
7:30 AM
Sunset
6:30 PM
Golden hour AM
7:13 AM – 8:06 AM
Golden hour PM
5:54 PM – 6:47 PM
Blue hour AM
7:03 AM – 7:13 AM
Blue hour PM
6:47 PM – 6:57 PM
Full darkness
7:59 PM – 6:02 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:44 PM / 1:40 AM
Day length
11h 01m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Schooner Gulch State Beach 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:19 AM90° E7:27 PM271° W51°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:50 AM59° ENE8:44 PM302° WNW75°14h 54m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:03 AM89° E7:13 PM271° W51°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:30 AM120° ESE4:57 PM240° WSW28°9h 26m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:03 AM7:32 AM8:13 AM4:37 PM5:17 PM5:46 PM9h 45m
February6:40 AM7:07 AM7:44 AM5:16 PM5:53 PM6:20 PM10h 46m
March7:00 AM7:27 AM8:02 AM6:47 PM7:22 PM7:49 PM11h 55m
April6:11 AM6:39 AM7:14 AM7:16 PM7:52 PM8:19 PM13h 13m
May5:33 AM6:03 AM6:41 AM7:43 PM8:21 PM8:51 PM14h 18m
June5:18 AM5:50 AM6:30 AM8:02 PM8:42 PM9:14 PM14h 53m
July5:31 AM6:02 AM6:41 AM8:01 PM8:40 PM9:11 PM14h 38m
August6:01 AM6:29 AM7:06 AM7:34 PM8:11 PM8:39 PM13h 42m
September6:30 AM6:57 AM7:32 AM6:49 PM7:25 PM7:51 PM12h 28m
October6:58 AM7:25 AM8:01 AM6:01 PM6:37 PM7:04 PM11h 13m
November6:30 AM6:58 AM7:37 AM4:23 PM5:02 PM5:31 PM10h 04m
December6:57 AM7:27 AM8:09 AM4:13 PM4:54 PM5:24 PM9h 28m

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 Schooner Gulch State Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:22 AM – 5:32 AM0.212°SE → SE
March4:31 AM – 5:51 AM1.319°SE → SSE
April2:27 AM – 4:57 AM2.522°SE → S
May12:28 AM – 4:08 AM3.722°SE → S
June10:40 PM – 3:50 AM5.222°SE → SSW
July10:33 PM – 2:23 AM3.822°SSE → SW
August9:50 PM – 12:20 AM2.522°S → SW
September8:55 PM – 10:15 PM1.319°SSW → SW
October8:06 PM – 8:26 PM0.312°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.67 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (63%). September is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F636362717673657074766662
Low °F414342454649505353514543
Precip. (in)6.36.75.12.81.20.40.10.00.21.94.28.6

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

  • 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.
  • Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
  • Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

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 Schooner Gulch State Beach, closest first.

Bowling Ball BeachBeach
Bowling Ball Beach0.4 km away · Mendocino County
Natural Arch
Hitch'n Post8.8 km away · Mendocino County
Natural Arch
Fish Rocks Arch9.2 km away · Mendocino County
Natural Arch
Point Arena Arch10 km away · Mendocino County
Point Arena LightLighthouse
Point Arena Light12 km away · Mendocino County
Manchester State ParkState Park
Manchester State Park13 km away · Mendocino County
Natural Arch
White Cap Arch23 km away · Sonoma County
Hendy Woods State ParkState Park
Hendy Woods State Park27 km away · Mendocino County
Natural Arch
Devils Pitchfork30 km away · Mendocino County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Schooner Gulch State Beach?
June has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Schooner Gulch State Beach?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:01 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:37 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:01 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Schooner Gulch State Beach?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Schooner Gulch State Beach?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Schooner Gulch State Beach?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Schooner Gulch State Beach from Sea Ranch?
About 24 km (15 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.