Hedge Creek Falls is a waterfall in Siskiyou County, California. The nearest town is Dunsmuir, about 3.3 km (2.1 mi) away (Hedge Creek Falls lies N of town).
Hedge Creek Falls is a waterfall on Hedge Creek, in the Shasta Cascade area in Dunsmuir, California. There is a small cave located behind the waterfall, allowing visitors to walk behind the cascading water. Shortly after the waterfall, hedge creek flows into the Sacramento River south of Mossbrae Falls. There is a viewing platform over the river, with a view of Mount Shasta. Access to the waterfall and viewing platform is via a short hiking trail. The trail starts at a small park off the Dunsmuir Ave/Siskiyou Ave exit on Interstate 5. The waterfall is 0.2 miles (0.32 km) down Hedge Creek Falls Trail. The close proximity to Interstate 5, makes the waterfall a very popular stopping point for passing motorists.From the Wikipedia article “Hedge Creek Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hedge Creek Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 57° ENE | 8:46 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 121° ESE | 4:44 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 12m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 30m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 08m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 52m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:13 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 13m |
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 Hedge Creek Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:38 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:38 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:35 AM – 3:55 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:53 PM – 3:23 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:43 PM – 2:03 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 11:54 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 9:54 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:01 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.75 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 61 | 63 | 68 | 75 | 87 | 98 | 105 | 104 | 100 | 90 | 78 | 58 |
| Low °F | -7 | 2 | 13 | 20 | 24 | 29 | 40 | 38 | 30 | 21 | 7 | -2 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 6.5 |
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.
- 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 Hedge Creek Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
Rock Formation
Lake
Wilderness Area
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Castle Lake Campground9.3 km (5.8 mi)
- Red Fir Flat Group Campground11.9 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Girard Ridge Lookout12.2 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
- Fowlers Campground20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Camp 4 Group Campsite And Day Use Area24 km (15 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hedge Creek Falls?
What time is golden hour at Hedge Creek Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hedge Creek Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hedge Creek Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hedge Creek Falls?
How far is Hedge Creek Falls from Dunsmuir?
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.