Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout is a fire lookout in Clallam County, Washington. It lies in or next to Olympic National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 28 km (18 mi) W of Port Angeles. It dates from 1942. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout was built in the fall of 1942 in Olympic National Park to function as a spotter station guarding against intrusions by Japanese aircraft during World War II. The single-story frame structure is located on the southern side of Pyramid Peak. Funded by the U.S. Army, it was built by National Park Service employees Joe and Rena Shurnick as one of thirteen such sites within the present Olympic National Park. The 13-by-16-foot (4.0 by 4.9 m) shed is clad in wood shingles and has a simple pitched roof covered with wood shakes. A small woodshed is located just to the north. There are unglazed window openings on each side of the shelter. The lookout was used as an Aircraft Warning Service station until June 1944, when the AWS was abandoned. Pyramid Peak and Dodger Point Fire Lookout are the only such stations remaining in Olympic National...From the Wikipedia article “Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout 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 235° (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) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 52° NE | 9:20 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:03 AM | 126° SE | 4:25 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 21m |
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
Lookouts are built for 360° views, so sunrise and sunset are both options — use the azimuths to decide which view you want.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:52 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:25 PM | 8h 48m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:34 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:04 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:18 PM | 9:59 PM | 16h 02m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:51 PM | 15h 40m |
| August | 5:37 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:59 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:11 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 7:23 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:53 AM | 3:29 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:59 PM | 8h 23m |
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 Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. June gives the longest window (about 1.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:51 AM – 4:21 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:53 AM – 3:03 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:32 AM – 1:52 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:58 PM – 12:58 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:36 PM – 10:56 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.67 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 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 | 53 | 55 | 65 | 76 | 81 | 85 | 93 | 87 | 82 | 70 | 60 | 56 |
| Low °F | 14 | 19 | 24 | 32 | 36 | 43 | 47 | 47 | 42 | 32 | 15 | 14 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.3 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 5.1 | 7.7 | 6.8 |
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 fire lookout
- Access roads may be rough or seasonal.
- Some lookouts can be rented overnight through recreation.gov, which puts you on site for both sunset and sunrise.
- Shoot the tower itself against the Milky Way or star trails on clear, moonless nights.
- Haze from wildfire smoke can turn the sun deep red but reduce visibility; check air quality.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Summer and early autumn; many towers are staffed only during fire season.
Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Warm layers. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout, closest first.
Lake
Waterfall
Lake
Ghost Town
Waterfall
Waterfall
Lighthouse
Canyon
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Fairholme Campground8.2 km (5.1 mi) · reservable
- Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort Campground12.5 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
- Klahowya Campground23 km (14 mi)
- Hoh Rainforest Campground26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout?
What time is golden hour at Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout?
How far is Pyramid Peak Aircraft Warning Service Lookout from Port Angeles?
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.