Molson — a ghost town in Okanogan County, Washington — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Oroville, about 17.8 km (11.1 mi) away (Molson lies ENE of town).
Molson is in Okanogan County, Washington, United States. By road, the community is 15.1 miles east of Oroville. The ghost town of Old Molson is 1.7 miles south of the Canada–United States border.From the Wikipedia article “Molson, Washington”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Molson 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 309° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 64° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:53 AM | 52° NE | 9:05 PM | 309° NW | 64° | 16h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 126° SE | 4:02 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 14m |
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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:38 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:28 PM | 5:04 PM | 8h 42m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 11m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:20 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:33 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 42m |
| May | 4:37 AM | 5:15 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 17m |
| June | 4:10 AM | 4:53 AM | 5:43 AM | 8:13 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:46 PM | 16h 10m |
| July | 4:29 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:58 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 48m |
| August | 5:15 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 24m |
| September | 6:02 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:40 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:28 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 10m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:40 AM | 3:05 PM | 4:01 PM | 4:38 PM | 8h 16m |
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 Molson, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| April | 3:48 AM – 3:58 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:57 AM – 2:37 AM | 0.7 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:47 PM – 2:17 AM | 2.5 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:58 PM – 12:28 AM | 0.5 | 11° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:25 PM – 10:25 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 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 34% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 42 | 52 | 61 | 76 | 86 | 96 | 97 | 97 | 90 | 79 | 56 | 40 |
| Low °F | -24 | -14 | -7 | 13 | 24 | 31 | 38 | 39 | 26 | 11 | -13 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 2.6 |
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 ghost town
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Molson, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lost Lake Group Unit18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Bonaparte Lake Campground23 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Molson?
What time is golden hour at Molson?
Where does the sun rise and set at Molson?
Can you see the Milky Way from Molson?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Molson?
How far is Molson from Oroville?
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.