Layser Cave is a cave in Lewis County, Washington. The nearest town is Morton, about 34 km (21 mi) away (Layser Cave lies ESE of town).
Layser Cave, also known as the Layser Cave Archaeological Interpretative Area, is a natural rock shelter located in Gifford Pinchot National Forest within Lewis County, Washington, approximately south of Randle, Washington. The shallow cave is open to the public via a short, steep trail and is under the oversight of the United States Forest Service (USFS). The cave was a seasonal domestic and hunting site for indigenous people in the area, including the Upper Cowlitz and possibly the Yakama. Archaeological evidence has shown the landform to have been used for the processing of deer, elk, and salmon as early as 7,000 years ago but was abruptly abandoned approximately 3,500 years later. The abandonment was most likely due to a loss of animal and vegetation sustenance for native people due to severe volcanic eruptions and subsequent ash fallout from Mt. St. Helens during the period....From the Wikipedia article “Layser Cave”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Layser Cave 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 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 54° NE | 9:05 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 124° SE | 4:24 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 35m |
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
Caves are lit artificially — show caves have fixed lighting, so a fast lens and high ISO beat flash, which flattens formations.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:36 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 00m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 21m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 34m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:10 PM | 15h 00m |
| June | 4:36 AM | 5:15 AM | 6:02 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 48m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:35 PM | 15h 27m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 12m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:53 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 26m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:36 AM | 3:31 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:57 PM | 8h 36m |
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 Layser Cave, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:26 AM – 4:26 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:21 AM – 3:11 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:51 PM – 2:21 AM | 2.5 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:29 PM – 1:09 AM | 1.7 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:18 PM – 11:08 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:04 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.54 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 29% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 55 | 54 | 64 | 73 | 82 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 92 | 81 | 59 | 47 |
| Low °F | -12 | -9 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 37 | 27 | 14 | -11 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.2 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 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 cave
- Many show caves restrict tripods on tours; ask in advance or bring a small beanbag.
- Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
- Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
- Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
Suggested gear: Fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8), High-ISO camera, Small beanbag. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Layser Cave, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
Natural ArchWaterfall
National ForestScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tower Rock Campground 1.8 km (1.1 mi) · reservable
- North Fork Elk Group Camp5.6 km (3.5 mi) · reservable
- North Fork Campground (Wa)5.7 km (3.5 mi) · reservable
- North Fork Bear Group Camp5.7 km (3.5 mi) · reservable
- North Fork Beaver Group Camp5.7 km (3.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Layser Cave?
What time is golden hour at Layser Cave?
Where does the sun rise and set at Layser Cave?
Can you see the Milky Way from Layser Cave?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Layser Cave?
How far is Layser Cave from Morton?
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.