Three Troughs Falls is a waterfall in San Luis Obispo County, California. The nearest town is Cambria, about 13.6 km (8.5 mi) away (Three Troughs Falls lies NNW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Three Troughs 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 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 60° ENE | 8:24 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:11 AM | 119° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 44m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 34m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 21m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:22 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 45m |
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 Three Troughs Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:58 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:04 AM – 4:14 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:30 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:30 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.61 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (77%). September is the warmest month and February 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 | 72 | 73 | 77 | 80 | 78 | 87 | 81 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 82 | 73 |
| Low °F | 38 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 47 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 53 | 51 | 44 | 41 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 3.1 |
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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Three Troughs Falls, closest first.
State Park
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Wilderness Area
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Three Troughs Falls?
What time is golden hour at Three Troughs Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Three Troughs Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Three Troughs Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Three Troughs Falls?
How far is Three Troughs Falls from Cambria?
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.