Located in Clatsop County, Oregon, Desdemona Sands Light is a lighthouse. It lies in or next to Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Warrenton, about 7.1 km (4.4 mi) away (Desdemona Sands Light lies NNW of town). It dates from 1901.
Desdemona Sands Light was a lighthouse located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of Oregon, at the mouth of the Columbia River to aid navigation of the Columbia Bar. It was built in 1901 or 1902 as a replacement for Point Adams Light. The Lightship Columbia kept station about 5 miles (8.0 km) offshore. Its design by Carl Leick is identical to that of Semiahmoo Harbor Light near Blaine, Washington, a 1+1⁄2-story dwelling built on a cluster of pilings in 12 feet (3.7 m) of water with a rooftop tower housing the light and a fog signal. It was one of the last U.S. wooden pile foundation lighthouses built. A cistern system collected fresh water. Only the lightkeeper was present; there was a small boat to reach the mainland, where the keeper's family lived. The light was electrified in 1934, eliminating the need for a keeper. It was removed and replaced after World War II by a minor...From the Wikipedia article “Desdemona Sands Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Desdemona Sands Light 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° (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) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 54° NE | 9:12 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:56 AM | 124° SE | 4:33 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 36m |
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
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:22 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 01m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 59m |
| June | 4:45 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:49 PM | 15h 46m |
| July | 5:02 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 26m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 11m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:31 PM | 7:01 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 27m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:43 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:06 PM | 8h 38m |
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 Desdemona Sands Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), 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 | 5:32 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:34 AM – 4:34 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:28 AM – 3:18 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:55 PM – 2:35 AM | 2.7 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:35 PM – 1:25 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:26 PM – 11:16 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:12 PM – 9:22 PM | 0.2 | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.24 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 48% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (81%). 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 | 57 | 60 | 67 | 79 | 81 | 87 | 87 | 88 | 94 | 80 | 63 | 57 |
| Low °F | 19 | 21 | 26 | 28 | 33 | 41 | 45 | 45 | 36 | 26 | 21 | 15 |
| Precip. (in) | 10.8 | 6.9 | 8.4 | 5.5 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 7.1 | 11.5 | 10.9 |
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 lighthouse
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Hammond, Oregon, 2.7 km (1.7 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Desdemona Sands Light, closest first.
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LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Desdemona Sands Light?
What time is golden hour at Desdemona Sands Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Desdemona Sands Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Desdemona Sands Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Desdemona Sands Light?
How far is Desdemona Sands Light from Warrenton?
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.