Sea Lion Overlook is a scenic viewpoint in Marin County, California at about 183 m (600 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Inverness, about 18.1 km (11.2 mi) away (Sea Lion Overlook lies SW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sea Lion Overlook 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 59° ENE | 8:39 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 120° ESE | 4:57 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 31m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Sea Lion Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 5:02 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 4:11 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:53 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:45 PM – 12:25 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:23 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.86 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 53% average cloud cover) and August as the cloudiest (71%). September is the warmest month and April 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 | 63 | 60 | 60 | 65 | 65 | 65 | 64 | 65 | 67 | 67 | 63 | 63 |
| Low °F | 44 | 45 | 45 | 47 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 49 | 46 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 4.1 |
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
- 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.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Sea Lion Overlook, closest first.
Lighthouse
Beach
Natural Arch
Wilderness Area
State ParkNatural ArchNatural ArchNatural Arch
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sea Lion Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Sea Lion Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sea Lion Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sea Lion Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sea Lion Overlook?
How far is Sea Lion Overlook from Inverness?
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.