Located in Mono County, California, Lundy Canyon Waterfalls is a waterfall. The nearest town is Yosemite Valley, about 39 km (24 mi) away (Lundy Canyon Waterfalls lies NE of town).
Wikidata describes it as: “The Lundy Canyon Waterfalls page is my homage to the myriad of waterfalls and wildflowers that we’ve seen in the scenic Lundy Canyon on an epic 6-mile hike.”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lundy Canyon Waterfalls 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 59° ENE | 8:24 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 120° ESE | 4:42 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 31m |
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 | 6:44 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:48 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 33m |
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 Lundy Canyon Waterfalls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:55 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:02 AM – 5:32 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:07 AM – 4:47 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 3:56 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:18 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:11 PM – 2:11 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:36 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 66 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 98 | 93 | 92 | 83 | 71 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | -6 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 22 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Lundy Canyon Waterfalls, closest first.
Lake
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Saddlebag Lake Trailhead Group Camp5.0 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Trumbull Lake5.5 km (3.4 mi) · reservable
- Lower Virginia Creek Primitive Campground8.6 km (5.4 mi)
- Green Creek Group11.6 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- Tuolumne Meadows Campground16.4 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lundy Canyon Waterfalls?
What time is golden hour at Lundy Canyon Waterfalls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lundy Canyon Waterfalls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lundy Canyon Waterfalls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lundy Canyon Waterfalls?
How far is Lundy Canyon Waterfalls from Yosemite Valley?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.