Located in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, White Crest Beach is a beach. It lies in or next to Cape Cod National Seashore, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 4.6 km (2.9 mi) E of Wellfleet.
White Crest Beach is a town-managed beach in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Situated in Barnstable County, it is bordered by Cahoon Hollow Beach to the north, and Le Count Hollow Beach to the south. The beach is known for its large sand dunes, surfing waves, and panoramic views.From the Wikipedia article “White Crest Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At White Crest Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:44 AM | 90° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:05 AM | 57° ENE | 8:19 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 14m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:28 AM | 89° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:05 AM | 122° ESE | 4:12 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 07m |
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
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:35 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:49 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 28m |
| February | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:31 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 4:49 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 33m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:05 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:52 PM | 15h 13m |
| July | 4:45 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 56m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 5:53 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:19 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:22 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:00 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:12 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:50 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 6:30 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:46 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:42 PM | 9h 09m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 White Crest Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:12 AM – 4:12 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 3:21 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:30 PM – 2:50 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 1:30 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:29 PM – 11:29 PM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 9:27 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.87 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 56% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (76%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 55 | 55 | 52 | 56 | 61 | 69 | 73 | 74 | 73 | 68 | 66 | 61 |
| Low °F | 8 | 11 | 17 | 33 | 40 | 48 | 56 | 60 | 55 | 43 | 27 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 5.5 |
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 beach
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Wellfleet, 5.3 km (3.3 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of White Crest Beach, closest first.
BeachBeach
LighthouseBeach
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseBeach
Rock FormationCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ocean View House384 m · reservable
- Sunrise House494 m · reservable
- Le Count Beach House839 m · reservable
- Bay View House8.6 km (5.3 mi) · reservable
- Highland Beach Suites, Unit 314.9 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph White Crest Beach?
What time is golden hour at White Crest Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at White Crest Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from White Crest Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at White Crest Beach?
How far is White Crest Beach from Wellfleet?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.