Wind River Arboretum — a botanical garden in Skamania County, Washington at about 348 m (1,142 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 12.1 km (7.5 mi) NW of Carson.
Wind River Arboretum, part of the Wind River Experimental Forest, is a research arboretum in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Carson, Washington, United States. It is the oldest arboretum in the Pacific Northwest.From the Wikipedia article “Wind River Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wind River Arboretum the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (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) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:19 AM | 54° NE | 9:02 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 124° SE | 4:27 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 40m |
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 | 7:46 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:02 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:04 AM | 8:14 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 4:56 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 22m |
| August | 5:36 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:53 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:59 PM | 8h 42m |
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 Wind River Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| 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 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:15 AM – 3:15 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:40 PM – 2:30 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:21 PM – 1:21 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 11:15 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 9:13 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.32 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 25% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). July 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 | 60 | 74 | 80 | 90 | 93 | 99 | 96 | 96 | 83 | 64 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 29 | 37 | 42 | 42 | 32 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.3 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 6.3 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Wind River Arboretum, closest first.
Hot Spring
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Waterfall
Rock FormationWaterfallWaterfall
Mountain PeakHot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Panther Creek Campground4.8 km (3.0 mi) · reservable
- Beaver Campground6.6 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- Govt Mineral Springs Guard Sta10.2 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
- Paradise Creek Campground16.8 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Wyeth Campground17.4 km (10.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wind River Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Wind River Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wind River Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wind River Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wind River Arboretum?
How far is Wind River Arboretum from Carson?
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.