Located in Humboldt County, California, Sue-meg State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Redway, about 29 km (18 mi) away (Sue-meg State Park lies W of town).
Sue-meg State Park (formerly Patrick's Point State Park) is a 640-acre California State Park (260 ha) in Humboldt County, California near Trinidad on the Redwood Coast, situated on a lushly forested promontory above the Pacific Ocean. The park is home to many tree species including coastal redwoods, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, pine, grand fir, Douglas fir, red alder and wildflower meadows, with a shoreline that consists of sandy beaches and sheer cliffs against the Pacific Ocean. Amenities include hiking trails, a recreated Yurok Village, a native plant garden, visitor center, three family campgrounds, two group camps, a camp for hikers and bicyclists, accessible beaches, lookout points, and three group picnic areas.From the Wikipedia article “Sue-meg State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sue-meg State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 58° ENE | 8:50 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 02m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 121° ESE | 4:55 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 19m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 38m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 24m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 01m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 45m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:06 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 58m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 20m |
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 Sue-meg State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:45 AM – 5:55 AM | 1.2 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:38 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:53 PM – 3:43 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:44 PM – 2:14 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:58 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 61% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 67 | 68 | 72 | 78 | 82 | 76 | 75 | 88 | 79 | 67 | 62 |
| Low °F | 35 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 43 | 47 | 49 | 51 | 48 | 44 | 39 | 35 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.5 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 10.8 |
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
- 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 Sue-meg State Park, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Lighthouse
State Park
Natural ArchNatural Arch
State Park
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tolkan Campground10.7 km (6.6 mi)
- Honeydew Creek11.3 km (7.1 mi)
- Nadelos Campground 18.2 km (11.3 mi)
- Wailaki Campground18.6 km (11.6 mi)
- Mattole Campground24 km (15 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sue-meg State Park?
What time is golden hour at Sue-meg State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sue-meg State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sue-meg State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sue-meg State Park?
How far is Sue-meg State Park from Redway?
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.