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37.8313° N122.4769° W1 mBortle 8Los Angeles

Vista Point Photography Guide

Scenic Viewpoint in Marin County, California · 1 m (3 ft)

  • Bortle 8 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Located in Marin County, California, Vista Point is a scenic viewpoint. It sits roughly 3.2 km (2.0 mi) SSE of Sausalito.

Elevation
1 m
3 ft
Nearest town
Sausalito
3.2 km (2.0 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 8
City sky
Clearest month
October
44% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.3 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:58 PM
sunset 6:34 PM

Light at Vista Point

Live
Sunrise
7:24 AM
Sunset
6:27 PM
Golden hour AM
7:07 AM – 8:00 AM
Golden hour PM
5:51 PM – 6:43 PM
Blue hour AM
6:57 AM – 7:07 AM
Blue hour PM
6:43 PM – 6:54 PM
Full darkness
7:55 PM – 5:57 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:37 PM / 1:37 AM
Day length
11h 03m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
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 Vista Point 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 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:14 AM90° E7:22 PM271° W52°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:49 AM59° ENE8:36 PM301° WNW76°14h 47m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:58 AM89° E7:08 PM271° W52°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:23 AM120° ESE4:55 PM241° WSW29°9h 32m

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
January6:56 AM7:25 AM8:05 AM4:35 PM5:15 PM5:44 PM9h 50m
February6:34 AM7:01 AM7:37 AM5:13 PM5:49 PM6:16 PM10h 49m
March6:56 AM7:22 AM7:57 AM6:43 PM7:17 PM7:44 PM11h 56m
April6:08 AM6:35 AM7:10 AM7:11 PM7:46 PM8:13 PM13h 11m
May5:31 AM6:01 AM6:38 AM7:36 PM8:14 PM8:43 PM14h 13m
June5:17 AM5:48 AM6:27 AM7:55 PM8:34 PM9:06 PM14h 46m
July5:30 AM6:00 AM6:39 AM7:54 PM8:32 PM9:03 PM14h 32m
August5:58 AM6:26 AM7:02 AM7:28 PM8:04 PM8:32 PM13h 38m
September6:26 AM6:53 AM7:27 AM6:45 PM7:19 PM7:46 PM12h 27m
October6:52 AM7:19 AM7:54 AM5:58 PM6:34 PM7:00 PM11h 15m
November6:23 AM6:51 AM7:30 AM4:21 PM5:00 PM5:28 PM10h 09m
December6:50 AM7:19 AM8:00 AM4:12 PM4:53 PM5:22 PM9h 34m

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 Vista Point, 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 8 (city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:08 AM – 5:28 AM0.313°SE → SE
March4:15 AM – 5:45 AM1.520°SE → SSE
April2:19 AM – 4:59 AM2.723°SE → S
May12:18 AM – 4:08 AM3.823°SE → S
June10:29 PM – 3:49 AM5.323°SE → SW
July10:22 PM – 2:22 AM4.023°SSE → SW
August9:42 PM – 12:22 AM2.723°S → SW
September8:48 PM – 10:18 PM1.520°SSW → SW
October8:01 PM – 8:21 PM0.313°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
DecemberBelow 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.38 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F676976808788788594847865
Low °F364041434548515351473936
Precip. (in)3.43.72.91.60.60.20.10.10.11.02.24.4

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

  • 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.
  • Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
  • 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 Vista Point, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Battery Spencer Overlook0.6 km away · Marin County
Lime Point LightLighthouse
Lime Point Light0.7 km away · Marin County
Fort Point Light, San FranciscoLighthouse
Fort Point Light, San Francisco2.3 km away · City and County of San Francisco
Lighthouse
Fort Point Lighthouse (historical)2.3 km away · City and County of San Francisco
Point Diablo LightLighthouse
Point Diablo Light2.4 km away · City and County of San Francisco
Beach
Black Sands Beach3.0 km away · Marin County
Scenic Viewpoint
Bluff Lookout: Mantle Rocks Exposed3.3 km away · City and County of San Francisco
Lighthouse
Point Knox Lighthouse (historical)4.1 km away · Marin County
Baker BeachBeach
Baker Beach4.2 km away · City and County of San Francisco

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Vista Point?
October 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 Vista Point?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:58 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:34 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:54 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Vista Point?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Vista Point?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 8 (city sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Vista Point?
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 Vista Point from Sausalito?
About 3.2 km (2.0 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.