Phillip Burton Wilderness is a wilderness area in Marin County, California. It lies in or next to Point Reyes National Seashore, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Lagunitas-Forest Knolls, about 10.7 km (6.6 mi) away (Phillip Burton Wilderness lies W of town).
Point Reyes National Seashore is a 71,028-acre (287.44 km2) park preserve located on the Point Reyes Peninsula in Marin County, California. As a national seashore, it is maintained by the US National Park Service as an important nature preserve. No other U.S. national park south of Alaska hosts breeding hoofed megafauna (elk) and marine megafauna (elephant and other seals). Some existing agricultural uses are allowed to continue within the park. Clem Miller, a US Congressman from Marin County, wrote and introduced the bill for the establishment of Point Reyes National Seashore in 1962 to protect the peninsula from development which was proposed at the time for the slopes above Drake's Bay. About half of the national seashore is protected as wilderness.From the Wikipedia article “Point Reyes National Seashore”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Phillip Burton Wilderness 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) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:38 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 120° ESE | 4:56 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
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:29 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 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 Phillip Burton Wilderness, 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 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 | 5:09 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:21 AM – 5:01 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 4:10 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:32 PM – 3:52 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 2:25 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:24 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:22 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: 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 ≈ 20.36 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 19% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (57%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 73 | 75 | 76 | 87 | 100 | 106 | 109 | 107 | 112 | 103 | 87 | 71 |
| Low °F | 25 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 35 | 42 | 48 | 48 | 45 | 37 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 5.1 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 6.2 |
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
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Pack weight matters: a single zoom and a light tripod cover most situations.
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Phillip Burton Wilderness, closest first.
Natural ArchNatural ArchNatural Arch
Waterfall
Lake
State Park
State Park
Waterfall
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Point Reyes National Seashore Campground4.0 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Haypress Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Phillip Burton Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Phillip Burton Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Phillip Burton Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Phillip Burton Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Phillip Burton Wilderness?
How far is Phillip Burton Wilderness from Lagunitas-Forest Knolls?
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.