Hendricks Park is a botanical garden in Lane County, Oregon. It sits roughly 3.0 km (1.9 mi) SE of Eugene.
Hendricks Park is the oldest city park in Eugene, Oregon, United States. The 78-acre (320,000 m2) park is a little over a mile away from the University of Oregon campus, and contains mature forest, a 12-acre (4.9 ha) rhododendron garden, and a native plant garden. The park is laced with trails suitable for hiking, jogging, and birding.From the Wikipedia article “Hendricks Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hendricks Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:30 AM | 56° NE | 9:00 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 123° ESE | 4:38 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 53m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:12 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:15 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 16m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 4:53 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 28m |
| July | 5:09 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:28 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:09 PM | 8h 54m |
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 Hendricks Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:05 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:01 AM – 4:41 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:06 AM – 3:36 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:22 PM – 3:02 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:08 PM – 1:38 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 11:40 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 9:33 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.25 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 34% 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 | 61 | 64 | 71 | 79 | 86 | 89 | 87 | 89 | 94 | 80 | 66 | 61 |
| Low °F | 19 | 23 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 41 | 45 | 46 | 40 | 25 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.6 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 4.8 | 8.6 | 10.3 |
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 botanical garden
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Hendricks Park, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
State Park
Ghost Town
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Whispering Pines Horse Camp11.3 km (7.0 mi) · reservable
- Graham Corral Horse Campground11.3 km (7.0 mi) · reservable
- South Twin Lake Campground11.3 km (7.0 mi) · reservable
- Richardson Campground23 km (14 mi)
- Shotgun Creek Recreation Site27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hendricks Park?
What time is golden hour at Hendricks Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hendricks Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hendricks Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hendricks Park?
How far is Hendricks Park from Eugene?
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.