Located in Santa Cruz County, California, Davenport Overlook is a scenic viewpoint. The nearest town is Bonny Doon, about 5.4 km (3.4 mi) away (Davenport Overlook lies SW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Davenport Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 60° ENE | 8:33 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 119° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 37m |
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
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.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 38m |
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 Davenport Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:13 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:06 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:14 AM – 4:14 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:23 PM – 3:53 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:17 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 12:28 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:26 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 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 ≈ 20.21 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September 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 | 67 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 84 | 78 | 65 |
| Low °F | 36 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 51 | 47 | 39 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Davenport Overlook, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
State Park
Covered Bridge
State Park
State Park
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Davenport Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Davenport Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Davenport Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Davenport Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Davenport Overlook?
How far is Davenport Overlook from Bonny Doon?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.