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Scenic Viewpoints in California

87 scenic viewpoints in California with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. San Diego County has the most (9). The darkest skies are at Mount Vida Vista Scene Viewpoint (Bortle 1).

Top scenic viewpoints

Bird Island OverlookScenic Viewpoint
Bird Island OverlookMarin County · 64 m
Brokeoff Volcano VistaScenic Viewpoint
Brokeoff Volcano VistaShasta County
Bunchgrass OverlookScenic Viewpoint
Bunchgrass OverlookSiskiyou County
Cesar's Vista PointScenic Viewpoint
Cesar's Vista PointKern County
Chalone Peak Fire LookoutScenic Viewpoint
Chalone Peak Fire LookoutMonterey County
Chaos Crags ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Chaos Crags ViewpointShasta County
Chaparral View Between Coastal Trail StaircasesScenic Viewpoint
Chaparral View Between Coastal Trail StaircasesSan Diego County
Coastal Trail Southern Clearing ViewScenic Viewpoint
Coastal Trail Southern Clearing ViewSan Diego County
Coastal Trail View of Shaw’s Agave PatchScenic Viewpoint
Coastal Trail View of Shaw’s Agave PatchSan Diego County
Coastal Trail View of the Kelp ForestScenic Viewpoint
Coastal Trail View of the Kelp ForestSan Diego County
Scenic Viewpoint
1 - Introduction: Lands End LookoutCity and County of San Francisco
Scenic Viewpoint
4 - An Intimate View of Coastal CaliforniaMarin County

Scenic Viewpoints by county

All scenic viewpoints (87)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Bird Island OverlookGolden GateMarin County64 mMarin City7
Brokeoff Volcano VistaLassen VolcanicShasta County—Chester2
Bunchgrass OverlookLava BedsSiskiyou County—Altamont1
Cesar's Vista PointCésar E. ChávezKern County—Bear Valley Springs4
Chalone Peak Fire LookoutPinnaclesMonterey County—Soledad4
Chaos Crags ViewpointLassen VolcanicShasta County—Shingletown2
Chaparral View Between Coastal Trail StaircasesCabrilloSan Diego County—Coronado7
Coastal Trail Southern Clearing ViewCabrilloSan Diego County—Coronado7
Coastal Trail View of Shaw’s Agave PatchCabrilloSan Diego County—Coronado7
Coastal Trail View of the Kelp ForestCabrilloSan Diego County—Coronado7
1 - Introduction: Lands End LookoutGolden GateCity and County of San Francisco—Parkside7
4 - An Intimate View of Coastal CaliforniaGolden GateMarin County—Tamalpais Valley7
Battery Spencer OverlookGolden GateMarin County—Sausalito7
Bluff Lookout: Mantle Rocks ExposedGolden GateCity and County of San Francisco—San Francisco8
Boulders Viewpoint AreaMojaveSan Bernardino County—Twentynine Palms3
Canyon View OverlookSequoia & Kings CanyonFresno County—Three Rivers2
Upper DockImperial County—Yuma3
River ViewImperial County—Yuma3
Donald Duck OverlookImperial County—Yuma3
Audubon OverlookSan Luis Obispo County7 mLos Osos6
Big Horn OverlookRiverside County1,183 mLa Quinta5
Brooks Falls Overlook TrailSan Mateo County95 mPacifica7
Brush Creek OverlookTulare County2,456 mKernville3
Carson Pass Scenic ViewpointAlpine County2,596 mSouth Lake Tahoe3
Chaparral OverlookPinnaclesSan Benito County441 mSoledad4
Cottonwood Overlook TrailSierra County1,792 mTruckee3
Dardanelles OverlookCalaveras County1,496 mArnold4
Davenport OverlookSanta Cruz County34 mBonny Doon5
Deadman Flat Scenic ViewpointTuolumne County2,070 mTopaz Ranch Estates3
Donnell Vista PointTuolumne County1,920 mArnold3
East Flange Scenic ViewpointTuolumne County2,158 mTopaz Ranch Estates3
Elk Mountain Scenic ViewpointLake County1,058 mUpper Lake3
Emerald Bay OverlookEl Dorado County2,018 mSouth Lake Tahoe4
Emigrant Gap Scenic ViewpointPlacer County1,651 mNevada City3
Encinitas Viewpoint ParkSan Diego County44 mEncinitas7
Fairview Point Scenic ViewpointRiverside County2,338 mCabazon5
Father Crowley ViewpointInyo County1,281 mLone Pine2
Frazier Falls Scenic ViewpointPlumas County1,815 mPortola3
Freeman OverlookLos Angeles County1,290 mLebec4
George C Hoberg Vista PointLake County429 mLakeport5
Grant Lake OverlookMono County2,354 mMammoth Lakes2
Heath Falls Overlook TrailPlacer County1,624 mTruckee3
Junction Vista PointFresno County1,201 mYokuts Valley3
Ken Sampson OverlookOrange County42 mDana Point7
Kenyon Overlook TrailSan Diego County589 mBorrego Springs4
Kings Canyon OverlookTulare County2,183 mThree Rivers3
Liberty Vista PointCalaveras County2,069 mArnold3
Lookout PointTuolumne County2,174 mTwain Harte3
Lookout Point ParkLos Angeles County76 mSan Pedro8
Lookout Point Ranger StationTulare County1,207 mThree Rivers3
McGee Vista PointFresno County2,070 mYokuts Valley3
Mescal Bajada OverlookSan Diego County451 mBorrego Springs4
Mount McAbee OverlookSanta Cruz County537 mBoulder Creek5
Muir Beach OverlookGolden GateMarin County142 mTamalpais Valley6
Nimbus Dam OverlookSacramento County78 mGold River7
Opal Cliffs Drive OverlookSanta Cruz County14 mCapitola7
Overlook ParkSolano County101 mBenicia7
Overlook TrailMonterey County5 mBig Sur3
Peddler Hill Scenic ViewpointAmador County2,051 mBuckhorn3
Red Rock Wall OverlookSan Bernardino County1,595 mCrestline6
Redwood Mountain OverlookTulare County2,086 mYokuts Valley3
Romero OverlookMerced County187 mGustine4
San Ramon Valley OverlookContra Costa County448 mBlackhawk7
Sand Point OverlookSanta Cruz County541 mDay Valley5
Sea Lion OverlookMarin County183 mInverness4
Shot Rock Vista Scenic ViewpointAmador County2,318 mBuckhorn3
Taylor Lake OverlookImperial County63 mYuma3
Vista PointLos Angeles County1,491 mActon6
Vista PointMarin County1 mSausalito8
White Bark Vista PointFresno County2,929 mMammoth Lakes2
East Wildlife OverlookTule LakeModoc County1,246 mAltamont1
Lookout PointHumboldt County1 mWesthaven-Moonstone2
Lookout PointShasta County964 mShasta Lake2
Lookout Point TrailHumboldt County235 mRedway1
Mount Vida Vista Scene ViewpointModoc County2,003 mLakeview1
Vista PointHumboldt County44 mMcKinleyville5
West Wildlife OverlookSiskiyou County1,235 mAltamont1
Tioga Lake OverlookMono County2,959 mYosemite Valley2
Twin Peaks ViewpointCity and County of San Francisco248 mNoe Valley9
Tunnel ViewYosemiteMariposa County1,350 mYosemite Valley3
Hollywood Bowl OverlookLos Angeles County310 mHollywood9
Olmsted PointYosemiteMariposa County2,568 mYosemite Valley3
Tuolumne MeadowsYosemiteTuolumne County2,612 mYosemite Valley2
Mesquite Flat Sand DunesDeath ValleyInyo County-1 mBeatty2
Father Crowley Vista PointInyo County1,294 mLone Pine2
Swordfish PointCabrilloSan Diego County19 mCoronado7
Lantern PointSan Diego County20 mCamp Pendleton South5

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph scenic viewpoints

Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.

  • Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
  • Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
  • Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
  • Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
  • Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.

Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.