Located in Sonoma County, California, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 5.0 km (3.1 mi) NE of Kenwood.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is a state park in Northern California, United States. Located in the Mayacamas Mountains northeast of Kenwood, the park straddles the boundary between Sonoma and Napa counties. The park contains the 2,729-foot (832 m) Bald Mountain and the headwaters of Sonoma Creek including a 25-foot (8 m) tall seasonal waterfall. The park is also home to the volunteer-run Robert Ferguson Observatory. Camping, picnicking, horseback riding, mountain biking, stargazing, fishing and hiking are common attractions of Sugarloaf. The park boasts 25 miles of trails with trails ranging from less than a mile to 8.8 miles, and elevation gains reaching 2,500 feet. The ridge has two main peaks, the southern one being 1,939 feet (591 m) above sea level and northern one being 2,265 feet (690 m). The southern peak contains an extensive microwave antenna. The higher northern peak has...From the Wikipedia article “Sugarloaf Ridge State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sugarloaf Ridge 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 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:38 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 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 23° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:21 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:22 AM – 4:02 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:34 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:17 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.11 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 19% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (57%). July 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 | 73 | 75 | 76 | 87 | 100 | 106 | 109 | 107 | 112 | 103 | 87 | 71 |
| Low °F | 25 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 35 | 42 | 48 | 48 | 45 | 37 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 5.1 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 6.2 |
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.
- 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 Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
Waterfall
Mountain PeakWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sugarloaf Ridge State Park?
What time is golden hour at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sugarloaf Ridge State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park?
How far is Sugarloaf Ridge State Park from Kenwood?
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.