Bassi Falls is a waterfall in El Dorado County, California at about 1,669 m (5,476 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 26 km (16 mi) SW of Tahoma.
Bassi Falls is a waterfall in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, to the west of Lake Tahoe in El Dorado County, California. The falls are part of the El Dorado National Forest and are at the end of a 1.2 miles (1.9 km) hiking trail with an approximately 200 feet (61 m) elevation gain. Bassi Falls are 109 feet (33 m) high, with granite rocks creating the various drops. The area immediately surrounding the falls features multiple swimming holes. To reach the falls, visitors must use an unpaved road named Ice House Road to reach a parking area near Union Valley Reservoir; it is recommended to use a 4WD vehicle.From the Wikipedia article “Bassi Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bassi Falls 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° 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) | 5:37 AM | 59° ENE | 8:31 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 26m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 45m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 53m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 38m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Bassi Falls, 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 | 5:08 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 3:55 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:28 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:11 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:07 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 10:02 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:02 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 ≈ 21.4 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% 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 | 72 | 70 | 75 | 84 | 97 | 104 | 107 | 103 | 107 | 97 | 83 | 70 |
| Low °F | 17 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 32 | 38 | 46 | 46 | 38 | 32 | 12 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 6.0 |
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 waterfall
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Bassi Falls, closest first.
Lake
Mountain Peak
Lake
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
National Forest
Lake
Lake
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Big Silver Group3.2 km (2.0 mi) · reservable
- Azalea Cove Campground3.7 km (2.3 mi)
- Van Vleck Bunkhouse4.0 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Wench Creek4.1 km (2.6 mi) · reservable
- Yellowjacket5.3 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bassi Falls?
What time is golden hour at Bassi Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bassi Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bassi Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bassi Falls?
How far is Bassi Falls from Tahoma?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. 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.