San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Sonoma County, California — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 10.2 km (6.3 mi) ENE of Black Point-Green Point.
San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a 13,190-acre (53.4 km2) National Wildlife Refuge in California established in 1970. It extends along the northern shore of San Pablo Bay, from the mouth of the Petaluma River, to Tolay Creek, Sonoma Creek, and ending at Mare Island.From the Wikipedia article “San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge 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 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 59° ENE | 8:37 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 120° ESE | 4:54 PM | 241° WSW | 28° | 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
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 32m |
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 Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 4:11 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:32 PM – 3:42 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 2:25 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 19.57 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 national wildlife refuge
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Waterfall
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
Ghost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge from Black Point-Green Point?
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.