Berry Creek Falls — a waterfall in Santa Cruz County, California at about 127 m (417 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Boulder Creek, about 13.5 km (8.4 mi) away (Berry Creek Falls lies WNW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Berry Creek Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:33 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 119° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 36m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 53m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 10m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 42m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 11m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 37m |
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 Berry Creek Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:13 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:06 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 4:15 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:25 PM – 3:55 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 12:29 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:26 PM | 1.7 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.3 | 14° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.11 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 67 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 84 | 78 | 65 |
| Low °F | 36 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 51 | 47 | 39 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
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 waterfall
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Berry Creek Falls, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
State Park
State Park
LighthouseWaterfall
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Berry Creek Falls?
What time is golden hour at Berry Creek Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Berry Creek Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Berry Creek Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Berry Creek Falls?
How far is Berry Creek Falls from Boulder Creek?
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.