Marble Falls — a waterfall in Tulare County, California at about 1,298 m (4,259 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 16.2 km (10.1 mi) NE of Three Rivers.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Marble Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (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 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 60° ENE | 8:18 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 119° ESE | 4:44 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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 | 6:39 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 41m |
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 Marble Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:43 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:59 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:50 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:57 PM – 3:57 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:06 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:01 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:22 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:16 PM | 0.5 | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.58 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 February as the cloudiest (53%). 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 | 70 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 90 | 99 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 88 | 81 | 70 |
| Low °F | 3 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 24 | 28 | 44 | 39 | 29 | 22 | 9 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 3.5 |
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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Marble Falls, closest first.
Rock Formation
Mountain Peak
CaveRock Formation
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Pass
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Potwisha Campground4.0 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Buckeye Flat Campground4.4 km (2.8 mi) · reservable
- Lodgepole Campground-Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Park8.4 km (5.2 mi) · reservable
- Dorst Creek Campground-Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Park9.4 km (5.8 mi) · reservable
- Stony Creek Sequoia13.0 km (8.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Marble Falls?
What time is golden hour at Marble Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Marble Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Marble Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Marble Falls?
How far is Marble Falls from Three Rivers?
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.