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Run before dark

What time does it get dark in Fresno, CA?

In Fresno, sunset ranges from about 4:44 PM around December 6 to about 8:23 PM around June 28. The shortest day (December 21) has 9h 38m of daylight and the longest (June 21) has 14h 41m. When daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026, sunset jumps from about 6:04 PM to 5:03 PM overnight.

Today in Fresno

Working out today's sunset…

Sunset and last light in Fresno, month by month

Times for the 15th of each month in 2026, local time. "Start by" is the latest start for a 30 or 60 minute run, ride or walk that finishes by sunset. Last light is when civil twilight ends and it becomes too dark to see without a light.

MonthSunriseSunsetLast lightDaylight30-min start by60-min start by
January7:11 AM5:07 PM5:35 PM9h 55m4:37 PM4:07 PM
February6:48 AM5:40 PM6:07 PM10h 52m5:10 PM4:40 PM
March7:11 AM7:07 PM7:33 PM11h 56m6:37 PM6:07 PM
April6:26 AM7:34 PM8:00 PM13h 08m7:04 PM6:34 PM
May5:53 AM8:00 PM8:29 PM14h 08m7:30 PM7:00 PM
June5:41 AM8:20 PM8:51 PM14h 40m7:50 PM7:20 PM
July5:53 AM8:19 PM8:49 PM14h 26m7:49 PM7:19 PM
August6:17 AM7:52 PM8:19 PM13h 35m7:22 PM6:52 PM
September6:42 AM7:08 PM7:34 PM12h 26m6:38 PM6:08 PM
October7:07 AM6:24 PM6:50 PM11h 17m5:54 PM5:24 PM
November6:38 AM4:51 PM5:19 PM10h 13m4:21 PM3:51 PM
December7:05 AM4:45 PM5:14 PM9h 40m4:15 PM3:45 PM

Heading out near dark in Fresno

From late fall through winter it is dark in Fresno before 6 p.m., so after-work runs and walks happen in the dark for months. If you head out close to sunset, be seen and be findable: wear a light and something reflective on the parts of you that move, pick a route with streetlights and other people, and send someone a live location link with a return time before you go. Our guide to running in the dark after the clocks change covers the rest.

Questions people ask

What time does it get dark in Fresno in winter?

In mid-December the sun sets around 4:45 PM in Fresno and last light (the end of civil twilight) is around 5:14 PM. The earliest sunset of 2026 is about 4:44 PM, around December 6.

When is the latest sunset in Fresno?

The latest sunset of 2026 in Fresno is about 8:23 PM, around June 28. In mid-June, usable light lasts until roughly 8:51 PM.

How much earlier does it get dark in Fresno after daylight saving time ends?

Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Sunset in Fresno moves from about 6:04 PM on October 31 to about 5:03 PM on November 1, so an after-work run that finished in daylight the week before can finish in the dark.

What time should I start a run in Fresno to finish before dark?

Subtract your run time from sunset. A 60-minute run in Fresno should start by about 3:45 PM in mid-December and by about 7:20 PM in mid-June. The table on this page lists the latest start for 30 and 60 minute runs in every month, and the calculator at the top gives today's times.

Keep reading

How to choose a running headlampHow to stay safe running alone at nightSunset in Bakersfield, CASunset in San Jose, CASunset in Sacramento, CASunset in Santa Barbara, CA

Calculated from Fresno's coordinates (36.74, -119.79) with the standard solar position formulas used by NOAA. Times can differ by a minute or two from other sources, and hills or buildings bring darkness sooner.

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