Located in Imperial County, California, Taylor Lake Overlook is a scenic viewpoint at about 63 m (207 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Yuma, about 34 km (21 mi) away (Taylor Lake Overlook lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Taylor Lake Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:43 AM | 90° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 61° ENE | 7:51 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:27 AM | 89° E | 6:37 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:38 AM | 118° ESE | 4:36 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 58m |
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 | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 13m |
| February | 5:58 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:50 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:12 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:34 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 14h 19m |
| July | 5:13 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 5:36 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 5:58 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:19 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:44 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:46 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:04 PM | 10h 28m |
| December | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 59m |
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 Taylor Lake Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:08 AM – 4:58 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:20 AM – 5:20 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:16 AM – 4:36 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:17 PM – 3:57 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:32 PM – 3:42 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:28 PM – 2:18 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:56 PM – 12:16 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:10 PM – 10:10 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:29 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 21.66 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (38%). 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 | 87 | 90 | 99 | 104 | 114 | 123 | 121 | 118 | 118 | 108 | 97 | 84 |
| Low °F | 24 | 24 | 33 | 40 | 47 | 56 | 66 | 64 | 55 | 38 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
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
- 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.
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Taylor Lake Overlook, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
State Park
WaterfallScenic ViewpointWaterfall
Natural Arch
National Wildlife RefugeNatural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Taylor Lake Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Taylor Lake Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Taylor Lake Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Taylor Lake Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Taylor Lake Overlook?
How far is Taylor Lake Overlook from Yuma?
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.