Point Adams Light is a lighthouse in Clatsop County, Oregon. The nearest town is Warrenton, about 4.9 km (3.0 mi) away (Point Adams Light lies WNW of town).
Point Adams Light was a lighthouse near the mouth of the Columbia River on the Oregon Coast of the United States. The lighthouse was designed by Paul J. Pelz, who also designed Point Adams's sister stations, Point Fermin Light in San Pedro, California, East Brother Island Light in Richmond, California, Mare Island Light, in Carquinez Strait, California (demolished in the 1930s), Point Hueneme Light in California (replaced in 1940), and Hereford Inlet Light in North Wildwood, New Jersey, all in essentially the same style. It operated from February 15, 1875, until 1899, when it became obsolete by the extension of the south jetty and the establishment of the Lightship Columbia in 1892. The lighthouse was considered a fire hazard and demolished in 1912. It was located about a mile south of Point Adams—named by Captain Robert Gray in 1792 [1]—near what is now Battery Russell in Fort...From the Wikipedia article “Point Adams Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Point Adams 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) | 7:04 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 37m |
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 | 4:09 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 02m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 7:00 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 | 5:09 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 58m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:49 PM | 15h 45m |
| July | 5:03 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 25m |
| 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 | 5:18 PM | 9h 27m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:43 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:06 PM | 8h 39m |
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 Point Adams 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 ≈ 20.99 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
- 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.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Point Adams, Oreg., 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Point Adams Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Beach
Ghost Town
Lake
State Park
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Point Adams Light?
What time is golden hour at Point Adams Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Point Adams Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Point Adams Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Point Adams Light?
How far is Point Adams 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.