Located in Los Angeles County, California, Fish Canyon Falls is a waterfall. It sits roughly 5.5 km (3.4 mi) NNW of Azusa.
Fish Canyon Falls is a tiered waterfall located within the city limits of Duarte, in Los Angeles County, California. The falls lie along Fish Canyon Creek in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, managed by the United States Forest Service as part of the Angeles National Forest. The falls drop approximately 80 feet (24 m) in four tiers. Unlike many seasonal waterfalls in Southern California, it maintains a fairly reliable flow year-round due to upstream springs, though flows may diminish significantly in late summer. A 4.8-mile (7.7 km) round-trip hiking trail (currently closed) provides access to the falls.From the Wikipedia article “Fish Canyon Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fish Canyon 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 300° (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) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 61° ENE | 8:07 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 118° ESE | 4:47 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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 | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 53m |
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 Fish Canyon 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:30 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:44 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 4:42 AM | 3.0 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:45 PM – 4:05 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:51 PM – 3:51 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:47 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:12 PM – 12:22 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 10:25 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 8:22 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.47 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (44%). 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 | 77 | 82 | 87 | 93 | 103 | 110 | 111 | 109 | 109 | 98 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 22 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 35 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 40 | 33 | 24 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Fish Canyon Falls, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Waterfall
CanyonCanyon
Botanical Garden
Mountain PeakCanyon
CanyonCanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Coldbrook Campground14.6 km (9.0 mi)
- Chilao Campground - Little Pines Loop17.4 km (10.8 mi) · reservable
- Coulter Group Campground17.9 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
- Crystal Lake18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Meadow Group Campground18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fish Canyon Falls?
What time is golden hour at Fish Canyon Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fish Canyon Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fish Canyon Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fish Canyon Falls?
How far is Fish Canyon Falls from Azusa?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.