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33.0261° N114.6173° WBortle 3Los Angeles

Upper Dock Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Imperial County, California

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–299°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Upper Dock is a scenic viewpoint in Imperial County, California. It sits roughly 34 km (21 mi) N of Yuma.

Nearest town
Yuma
34 km (21 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
June
14% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:33 PM
sunset 6:06 PM

Light at Upper Dock

Live
Sunrise
6:47 AM
Sunset
6:01 PM
Golden hour AM
6:32 AM – 7:21 AM
Golden hour PM
5:27 PM – 6:16 PM
Blue hour AM
6:22 AM – 6:32 AM
Blue hour PM
6:16 PM – 6:26 PM
Full darkness
7:23 PM – 5:25 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
2:57 PM / 1:13 AM
Day length
11h 13m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Upper Dock 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:43 AM90° E6:50 PM271° W57°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:31 AM61° ENE7:51 PM299° WNW80°14h 20m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:27 AM89° E6:37 PM271° W57°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)6:38 AM118° ESE4:36 PM242° WSW34°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:15 AM6:42 AM7:19 AM4:18 PM4:55 PM5:22 PM10h 13m
February5:58 AM6:23 AM6:57 AM4:50 PM5:24 PM5:49 PM11h 01m
March6:25 AM6:50 AM7:22 AM6:14 PM6:47 PM7:11 PM11h 57m
April5:44 AM6:09 AM6:42 AM6:36 PM7:09 PM7:34 PM13h 00m
May5:13 AM5:40 AM6:15 AM6:57 PM7:31 PM7:59 PM13h 52m
June5:01 AM5:30 AM6:07 AM7:13 PM7:49 PM8:18 PM14h 19m
July5:13 AM5:41 AM6:17 AM7:13 PM7:49 PM8:17 PM14h 08m
August5:36 AM6:02 AM6:36 AM6:52 PM7:25 PM7:51 PM13h 23m
September5:58 AM6:23 AM6:56 AM6:14 PM6:46 PM7:11 PM12h 23m
October6:18 AM6:43 AM7:17 AM5:33 PM6:06 PM6:31 PM11h 23m
November5:44 AM6:10 AM6:46 AM4:02 PM4:38 PM5:04 PM10h 28m
December6:08 AM6:35 AM7:13 AM3:56 PM4:34 PM5:01 PM9h 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 Upper Dock, 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
February4:07 AM – 4:57 AM0.817°SE → SE
March3:19 AM – 5:19 AM2.024°SE → SSE
April1:15 AM – 4:35 AM3.328°SE → S
May11:16 PM – 3:56 AM4.728°SE → SSW
June9:31 PM – 3:41 AM6.228°SE → SW
July9:27 PM – 2:17 AM4.828°SSE → SW
August8:55 PM – 12:15 AM3.328°S → SW
September8:09 PM – 10:09 PM2.025°SSW → SW
October7:28 PM – 8:18 PM0.817°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
DecemberBelow 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F8790991041141231211181181089784
Low °F242433404756666455383028
Precip. (in)0.60.60.40.10.10.00.50.60.50.40.50.5

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

  • 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.
  • 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 Upper Dock, closest first.

Picacho State Recreation AreaState Park
Picacho State Recreation Area0.8 km away · Imperial County
Scenic Viewpoint
River View1.6 km away · Imperial County
Scenic Viewpoint
Taylor Lake Overlook2.3 km away · Imperial County · 63 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Donald Duck Overlook3.2 km away · Imperial County
Natural Arch
Whitley Bridge4.2 km away · Imperial County
Waterfall
Bear Canyon Falls5.1 km away · Imperial County · 103 m
Waterfall
Carrizo Falls6.7 km away · Imperial County · 97 m
Imperial National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Imperial National Wildlife Refuge9.5 km away · Imperial County
Natural Arch
Arturos Bridge10.0 km away · Imperial County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Upper Dock?
June has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
What time is golden hour at Upper Dock?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:33 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:06 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:17 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Upper Dock?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Upper Dock?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Upper Dock?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Upper Dock from Yuma?
About 34 km (21 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors. 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.