Dick Smith Wilderness is a wilderness area in Santa Barbara County, California. The nearest town is Toro Canyon, about 28 km (17 mi) away (Dick Smith Wilderness lies NNE of town).
The Dick Smith Wilderness is a wilderness area in the mountains of eastern Santa Barbara County, California, United States, with a portion in Ventura County. It is completely contained within the Los Padres National Forest, and is northeast of the city of Santa Barbara and north of the city of Ojai. It is most easily accessible from two trailheads off State Route 33, which runs north from Ojai. It is adjacent to the large San Rafael Wilderness on the west and the Matilija Wilderness on the south. Across Highway 33 to the east, and also in the Los Padres National Forest, is the large Sespe Wilderness.From the Wikipedia article “Dick Smith Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Dick Smith Wilderness 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 61° ENE | 8:15 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:02 AM | 118° ESE | 4:52 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:38 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:19 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 51m |
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 Dick Smith Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:50 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:49 AM – 4:49 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 4:13 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:00 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:55 PM – 2:25 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:20 PM – 12:30 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:32 PM – 10:22 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 8:28 PM | 0.7 | 16° | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.01 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (43%). 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 | 82 | 83 | 85 | 93 | 99 | 108 | 109 | 106 | 111 | 100 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 25 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 35 | 43 | 48 | 50 | 42 | 37 | 29 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.3 |
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 wilderness area
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Dick Smith Wilderness, closest first.
Hot Spring
Waterfall
National Forest
Hot SpringHot Spring
Botanical Garden
Canyon
Natural Arch
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Rancho Nuevo Campground9.9 km (6.1 mi)
- Pine Mountain Campground16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Reyes Peak Campground17.1 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Reyes Creek Campground17.6 km (10.9 mi) · reservable
- Ballinger Campground25 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Dick Smith Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Dick Smith Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Dick Smith Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Dick Smith Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Dick Smith Wilderness?
How far is Dick Smith Wilderness from Toro Canyon?
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.