Heath Falls Overlook Trail — a scenic viewpoint in Placer County, California at about 1,624 m (5,328 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) WSW of Truckee.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Heath Falls Overlook Trail the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 58° ENE | 8:32 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 24m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 20m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 55m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 02m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 25m |
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 Heath Falls Overlook Trail, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:09 AM – 5:19 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:19 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 4:45 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 3:57 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:31 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:03 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 12:09 AM | 2.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:04 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.42 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 64 | 67 | 70 | 76 | 89 | 98 | 102 | 100 | 98 | 90 | 77 | 62 |
| Low °F | 0 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 24 | 27 | 39 | 38 | 27 | 21 | -1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.6 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 7.9 |
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
- 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.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Heath Falls Overlook Trail, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain PassWaterfall
Mountain Peak
Fire Lookout
Lake
Wilderness Area
State Park
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hampshire Rocks10.0 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
- Big Bend Group (Yuba River)11.1 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
- Ahart Campground12.1 km (7.5 mi) · reservable
- Gates Group12.6 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
- Coyote Group13.3 km (8.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Heath Falls Overlook Trail?
What time is golden hour at Heath Falls Overlook Trail?
Where does the sun rise and set at Heath Falls Overlook Trail?
Can you see the Milky Way from Heath Falls Overlook Trail?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Heath Falls Overlook Trail?
How far is Heath Falls Overlook Trail from Truckee?
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.