Located in Los Angeles County, California, San Gabriel Wilderness is a wilderness area. The nearest town is Monrovia, about 11.0 km (6.8 mi) away (San Gabriel Wilderness lies N of town).
The San Gabriel Wilderness is a wilderness area created in 1968 of more than 36,118 acres (150 km2) within the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The area lies on the southern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains, between the Angeles Crest and the West Fork of the San Gabriel River. The area was originally set aside as the Devils Canyon-Bear Canyon Primitive Area of 35,000 acres (140 km2). The San Gabriel Mountains were first preserved by the federal government in 1892 as the San Gabriel Timberland Reserve, established by U.S. President Benjamin Harrison and influenced by California conservationists, Abbot Kinney and John Muir. This forest reserve would later become part of the Angeles National Forest in which the San Gabriel Wilderness is now located.From the Wikipedia article “San Gabriel Wilderness”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Gabriel 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) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 61° ENE | 8:08 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 118° ESE | 4:47 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
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 | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 26m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 53m |
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 San Gabriel Wilderness, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:30 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:44 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 4:42 AM | 3.0 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:45 PM – 4:05 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:51 PM – 3:51 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:47 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:12 PM – 12:22 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 10:25 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.84 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (44%). 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 | 77 | 82 | 87 | 93 | 103 | 110 | 111 | 109 | 109 | 98 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 22 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 35 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 40 | 33 | 24 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
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.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- 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 San Gabriel Wilderness, closest first.
Waterfall
Fire Lookout
Mountain PeakWaterfall
Canyon
Mountain Peak
Canyon
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Chilao Campground - Little Pines Loop8.5 km (5.3 mi) · reservable
- Coulter Group Campground8.9 km (5.6 mi) · reservable
- Meadow Group Campground9.1 km (5.6 mi) · reservable
- Bandido Group Campground11.1 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
- Coldbrook Campground14.3 km (8.9 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Gabriel Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at San Gabriel Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Gabriel Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Gabriel Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Gabriel Wilderness?
How far is San Gabriel Wilderness from Monrovia?
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.