Sehome Hill Arboretum — a botanical garden in Whatcom County, Washington at about 162 m (531 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.0 km (1.9 mi) SSE of Bellingham.
The Sehome Hill Arboretum is a public park in the Sehome neighborhood of Bellingham, Washington. It comprises 175.5 acres (71.0 ha) of second growth forest on Sehome Hill, adjacent to the campus of Western Washington University. Though called an arboretum, the hilly expanse atop Sehome Hill is not consciously planted as an exhibit of tree species, but naturally wooded and rich in the plant species (both native and nonnative) typical of the region.From the Wikipedia article “Sehome Hill Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sehome Hill Arboretum 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) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 52° NE | 9:17 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:01 AM | 126° SE | 4:17 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 16m |
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 | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:50 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:17 PM | 8h 43m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 13m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 42m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 15m |
| June | 4:25 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:57 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:15 PM | 9:58 PM | 16h 08m |
| July | 4:43 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:12 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:09 PM | 9:49 PM | 15h 46m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 23m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:54 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:09 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 12m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:52 AM | 3:20 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:52 PM | 8h 18m |
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 Sehome Hill Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 12° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 4:00 AM – 4:10 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:57 AM – 2:47 AM | 0.8 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:58 PM – 2:38 AM | 2.7 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:06 AM – 12:46 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:36 PM – 10:36 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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: 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 ≈ 18.5 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 44% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 58 | 68 | 69 | 83 | 91 | 91 | 94 | 94 | 93 | 78 | 64 | 58 |
| Low °F | 10 | 15 | 21 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 47 | 46 | 41 | 28 | 15 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.4 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 8.1 | 6.7 |
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 Sehome Hill Arboretum, closest first.
State Park
Lake
Mountain Peak
Lake
Lake
Waterfall
LighthouseFAQ
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Sehome Hill Arboretum?
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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.