Bush Point Light — a lighthouse in Island County, Washington — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 4.5 km (2.8 mi) WNW of Freeland. Its recorded tower height is about 6 m (20 ft). It dates from 1894.
Wikidata describes it as: “lighthouse in Washington, United States”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bush Point Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (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 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 53° NE | 9:14 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:58 AM | 126° SE | 4:20 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 22m |
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 | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:47 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:20 PM | 8h 49m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:20 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:30 AM | 5:11 AM | 6:00 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:54 PM | 16h 02m |
| July | 4:48 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 40m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:25 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 19m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:54 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:48 AM | 3:25 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:55 PM | 8h 24m |
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 Bush Point Light, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), 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 | 3:46 AM – 4:16 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:48 AM – 2:58 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:27 AM – 1:47 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:53 PM – 12:53 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:31 PM – 10:51 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: 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 ≈ 20.52 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 | 58 | 68 | 69 | 83 | 91 | 91 | 94 | 94 | 93 | 78 | 64 | 58 |
| Low °F | 10 | 15 | 21 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 47 | 46 | 41 | 28 | 15 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.4 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 8.1 | 6.7 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Bush Point, Whidbey Island, 2.1 km (1.3 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Bush Point Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
BeachLighthouse
Lighthouse
State ParkLighthouse
State Park
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bush Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Bush Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bush Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bush Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bush Point Light?
How far is Bush Point Light from Freeland?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.