Hoyt Arboretum — a botanical garden in Multnomah County, Oregon at about 237 m (778 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.2 km (2.0 mi) WSW of Portland.
Hoyt Arboretum is a public park in Portland, Oregon, which is part of the complex of parks collectively known as Washington Park. The 153-acre (62 ha) arboretum is located atop a ridge in the Tualatin Mountains two miles (3.2 km) west of downtown Portland. Hoyt has 12 miles of hiking trails, two miles of accessible paved trails, and is open free to the public all year. About 350,000 visitors per year visit the arboretum.From the Wikipedia article “Hoyt Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hoyt Arboretum 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) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 55° NE | 9:04 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 124° SE | 4:31 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
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 06m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 54m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:08 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 40m |
| July | 5:01 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 20m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:57 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:35 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:03 PM | 8h 44m |
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 Hoyt Arboretum, 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 | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:16 AM – 4:26 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:16 AM – 3:26 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:39 PM – 2:39 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:22 PM – 1:22 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 11:27 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:26 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 ≈ 18.4 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 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 botanical garden
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Hoyt Arboretum, closest first.
BeachBeach
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
State Park
VolcanoFAQ
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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.