Big Falls is a waterfall in San Bernardino County, California at about 1,897 m (6,224 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 14.7 km (9.1 mi) NNE of Cherry Valley.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Big Falls 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 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 61° ENE | 8:03 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 118° ESE | 4:43 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 53m |
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 | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:29 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:08 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:21 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:55 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:12 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 54m |
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 Big Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:39 AM – 5:29 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:37 AM – 4:47 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:40 PM – 4:00 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:46 PM – 3:46 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:42 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:08 PM – 12:18 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:20 PM – 10:20 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:38 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.07 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 (39%). 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 | 81 | 85 | 91 | 99 | 108 | 114 | 114 | 113 | 112 | 100 | 88 | 79 |
| Low °F | 22 | 23 | 28 | 33 | 39 | 48 | 59 | 55 | 47 | 32 | 26 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Big Falls, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Wilderness Area
Mountain PeakWaterfall
Lake
Hot Spring
Fire Lookout
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Council9.6 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
- Barton Flats9.6 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
- San Gorgonio10.0 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
- Oso Group10.5 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- Lobo Group10.5 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Big Falls?
What time is golden hour at Big Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Big Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Big Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Big Falls?
How far is Big Falls from Cherry Valley?
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.