Bull Run National Forest is a national forest in Clackamas County, Oregon. The nearest town is Mount Hood Village, about 22 km (13 mi) away (Bull Run National Forest lies E of town).
Bull Run National Forest was established as the Bull Run Forest Reserve by the United States General Land Office in Oregon on June 17, 1892, with 142,080 acres (575.0 km2). After the transfer of federal forests to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, it became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908, the entire forest was combined with part of Cascade National Forest to establish Oregon National Forest and the name was discontinued. The lands are now part of Mount Hood National Forest.From the Wikipedia article “Bull Run National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bull Run National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) 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) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:19 AM | 55° NE | 8:59 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 124° ESE | 4:27 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 43m |
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
Forests suit soft light — overcast days reduce contrast under the canopy, and morning fog adds depth.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 07m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:03 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 53m |
| June | 4:41 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:04 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:35 PM | 15h 39m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 19m |
| August | 5:36 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 07m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:53 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 32m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:59 PM | 8h 45m |
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 Bull Run National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:12 AM – 5:32 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:11 AM – 4:31 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:10 AM – 3:20 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:32 PM – 2:42 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:15 PM – 1:25 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:11 PM – 11:21 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 9:21 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.49 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 25% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 61 | 60 | 74 | 80 | 90 | 93 | 99 | 96 | 96 | 83 | 64 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 29 | 37 | 42 | 42 | 32 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.3 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 6.3 |
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 national forest
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Dispersed camping is often allowed, which makes sunrise and night shoots easier — check local rules.
- Forest roads can close in winter or after storms; download offline maps.
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
Suggested gear: Polarizer, Tripod, Offline maps, Insect repellent. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Recreational drones are generally allowed in national forests outside designated wilderness, subject to FAA rules and temporary flight restrictions — wildfire TFRs are common in summer.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Bull Run National Forest, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Glacier
Glacier
Glacier
Cave
Glacier
Wilderness Area
National Forest
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Tilly Jane Guard Station5.4 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Still Creek8.2 km (5.1 mi) · reservable
- Kinnikinnick (Laurance Lake) Campground10.2 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
- Lost Creek10.4 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- Nottingham Campground10.7 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bull Run National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Bull Run National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bull Run National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bull Run National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bull Run National Forest?
How far is Bull Run National Forest from Mount Hood Village?
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.