Located in Multnomah County, Oregon, Willamette River Light is a lighthouse. It sits roughly 6.6 km (4.1 mi) NW of North Portland. Its recorded tower height is about 23 m (75 ft).
The Willamette River Light was a navigational lighthouse at the mouth of the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon near Portland, which marked the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. It existed as a lighthouse with keeper from 1895 to 1935, and as an unattended light from 1935 onwards. The original building burned down in 1959. The only visible remains of the station today are broken wooden pilings sticking out of the water near Kelley Point Park.From the Wikipedia article “Willamette River Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Willamette River 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 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:22 AM | 54° NE | 9:05 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 124° SE | 4:30 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 41m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:36 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 05m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:08 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 41m |
| July | 5:00 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:35 PM | 15h 21m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:57 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:35 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:28 PM | 5:03 PM | 8h 43m |
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 Willamette River Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:17 AM – 4:27 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:18 AM – 3:18 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:43 PM – 2:33 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:24 PM – 1:24 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:18 PM – 11:18 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:16 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.87 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 39% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 62 | 66 | 74 | 84 | 93 | 100 | 105 | 104 | 101 | 87 | 67 | 61 |
| Low °F | 8 | 15 | 22 | 27 | 33 | 39 | 45 | 44 | 36 | 24 | 15 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 8.6 | 9.7 |
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 lighthouse
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Vancouver, 5.8 km (3.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Willamette River Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lake
Lake
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Botanical Garden
Beach
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Willamette River Light?
What time is golden hour at Willamette River Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Willamette River Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Willamette River Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Willamette River Light?
How far is Willamette River Light from North Portland?
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.