Bradbury Beach Day Use Area — a beach in Stevens County, Washington — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Kettle Falls, about 12.5 km (7.8 mi) away (Bradbury Beach Day Use Area lies SSW of town).
From the National Park Service
Bradbury Beach day use area is adjacent to the boat launch, approximately 8.9 miles south of Kettle Falls on Washington State Highway 25. The facility has a small grassy area with picnic tables, barbeque grills, vault toilets, and water access. Potable water is not available.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bradbury Beach Day Use Area the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:51 AM | 52° NE | 8:59 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 126° SE | 4:00 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 18m |
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 | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:32 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:25 PM | 5:01 PM | 8h 45m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 13m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:30 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 41m |
| May | 4:35 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:59 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 14m |
| June | 4:09 AM | 4:51 AM | 5:40 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:39 PM | 16h 06m |
| July | 4:27 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:55 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 44m |
| August | 5:12 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 22m |
| September | 5:59 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:22 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 52m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:49 PM | 9h 13m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:04 PM | 3:58 PM | 4:35 PM | 8h 20m |
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 Bradbury Beach Day Use Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:42 AM – 4:02 AM | 0.3 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:37 AM – 2:37 AM | 1.0 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:31 AM – 1:11 AM | 0.7 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 11:44 PM – 12:24 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 10:27 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.86 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 41 | 51 | 62 | 75 | 87 | 96 | 99 | 99 | 92 | 80 | 56 | 41 |
| Low °F | -28 | -15 | -12 | 12 | 24 | 30 | 38 | 38 | 26 | 10 | -21 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 2.6 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Bradbury Beach Day Use Area, closest first.
Beach
WaterfallWaterfall
Waterfall
Natural ArchWaterfall
Ghost TownWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Haag Cove Campground6.0 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Kettle Falls Locust Grove Group Site8.9 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- Kettle Falls Campground9.8 km (6.1 mi) · reservable
- Kamloops Island Campground17.9 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
- Marcus Island Campground18.1 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bradbury Beach Day Use Area?
What time is golden hour at Bradbury Beach Day Use Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bradbury Beach Day Use Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bradbury Beach Day Use Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bradbury Beach Day Use Area?
How far is Bradbury Beach Day Use Area from Kettle Falls?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.