Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach — a beach in Clark County, Washington — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 2.0 km (1.2 mi) SE of Washougal.
From the National Park Service
On March 31, 1806, after learning from native tribes that food was scarce to the east, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark ordered the Corps of Discovery to remain at “Provision Camp,” a location that is today known as Cottonwood Beach in Washougal, Washington. In his journal, Clark noted that they “...formed a Camp in a Small Prarie on the North Side of the Columbia where we intend to delay one or two days to make Some Selestial observations, to examine quick sand river, and kill Some meat to last us through the Western Mountains which Commences a fiew miles above us.” Clark used this time to explore the area around Seal River, now called Washougal River, where he observed more than 100 small canoes used by the native women to gather wapato. Also known as “duck potato” or “arrowroot,” wapato is a wetland tuber that was an important part of native diets. The Corps stayed at Provision Camp for six days, the longest period of time the expedition spent at any location in Clark County. Finally, satisfied that they had enough dried meat to last them the trip through the Columbia River Gorge, the Corps loaded their canoes and set off once again up the Columbia River towards Nez Perce territory on Sunday, April 6. In 2006, several agencies came together to celebrate the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial by opening the Captain William Clark Regional Park, thus preserving this historic campsite, located roughly three miles from the mouth of the Washougal River. This day-use-only park is comprised of 93 acres of forested land located along the river. It’s open from 7am to dusk everyday, and features fishing, accessible multiuse trails, historic interpretive exhibits, and restrooms. Two reservable, 50-person capacity picnic shelters are available for $75 a day. These shelters also have barbecue grills, electricity, and drinkable water. For more information on the park or about how to reserve a picnic shelter, call the Park Dept. at (564) 397-2285 or visit their website at Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach .
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:21 AM | 55° NE | 9:03 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 124° SE | 4:29 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 42m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 06m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:05 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 54m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 40m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 21m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:55 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:01 PM | 8h 43m |
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 Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:14 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:14 AM – 4:24 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:14 AM – 3:24 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:37 PM – 2:37 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:20 PM – 1:20 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 11:25 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:24 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 18.9 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 July as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). August 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 | 62 | 66 | 74 | 84 | 93 | 100 | 105 | 104 | 101 | 87 | 67 | 61 |
| Low °F | 8 | 15 | 22 | 27 | 33 | 39 | 45 | 44 | 36 | 24 | 15 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 8.6 | 9.7 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Washougal, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
Ghost Town
Waterfall
State Park
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach?
What time is golden hour at Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Captain William Clark Regional Park at Cottonwood Beach?
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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.