Mount Pisgah Arboretum — a botanical garden in Lane County, Oregon at about 154 m (505 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 5.3 km (3.3 mi) SE of Springfield.
The Mount Pisgah Arboretum (209 acres (85 ha)) is a non-profit arboretum and botanical garden located within the Howard Buford Recreation Area (2,300 acres (930 ha)), between the Coast Fork of the Willamette River and the slopes of Mount Pisgah near Eugene-Springfield, Oregon, United States. The Friends of Mount Pisgah Arboretum was established in 1973 when it began to construct trails, build bridges, remove invasive species, and publish newsletters. Wildflower and mushroom shows were first held in 1981; staff hiring began in the early 1980s. The arboretum's original mission was to have international plantings, however most of the early international donations were moved off site. This has changed to maintaining Pacific Northwest plant communities, offer environmental education programs, and provide for public enjoyment of its site.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Pisgah Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Pisgah Arboretum 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 | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:30 AM | 56° NE | 8:59 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) | 7:44 AM | 123° ESE | 4:37 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 | 4:14 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 16m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:18 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 | 6:28 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 4:53 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 28m |
| July | 5:09 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:49 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 | 8:06 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:28 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:08 PM | 8h 55m |
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 Mount Pisgah Arboretum, 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 6 (bright suburban 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.23 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 28% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 68 | 68 | 73 | 86 | 97 | 98 | 106 | 103 | 98 | 87 | 78 | 61 |
| Low °F | 9 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 40 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.1 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 4.9 | 8.4 | 9.9 |
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
- 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.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Mount Pisgah Arboretum, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
State ParkScenic Viewpoint
Covered Bridge
State Park
State Park
State Park
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Whispering Pines Horse Camp15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Graham Corral Horse Campground15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- South Twin Lake Campground15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Schwarz Park25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Cascara Campground26 km (16 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Pisgah Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Mount Pisgah Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Pisgah Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Pisgah Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Pisgah Arboretum?
How far is Mount Pisgah Arboretum from Springfield?
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.