Located in San Diego County, California, Mildred Falls is a waterfall at about 696 m (2,283 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is San Diego Country Estates, about 6.5 km (4.0 mi) away (Mildred Falls lies E of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mildred 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 80° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:51 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 61° ENE | 7:59 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:47 AM | 118° ESE | 4:45 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 58m |
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 | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 13m |
| February | 6:06 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:58 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 51m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 19m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 07m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:19 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:54 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:13 PM | 10h 28m |
| December | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 59m |
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 Mildred Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:16 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:28 AM – 5:28 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:24 AM – 4:44 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:25 PM – 4:05 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:40 PM – 3:50 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:36 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:04 PM – 12:24 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:18 PM – 10:18 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:27 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.24 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (41%). 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 | 84 | 90 | 94 | 100 | 109 | 117 | 118 | 115 | 115 | 104 | 92 | 82 |
| Low °F | 26 | 28 | 33 | 37 | 42 | 48 | 59 | 56 | 48 | 40 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Mildred Falls, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
State ParkWaterfallWaterfall
CanyonCanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- El Prado Group28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Laguna29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Horse Heaven Group29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mildred Falls?
What time is golden hour at Mildred Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mildred Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mildred Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mildred Falls?
How far is Mildred Falls from San Diego Country Estates?
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.