Sparks Lake and the South Sister in the Cascade Mountains.
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44.0000° N121.5000° WBortle 4Los Angeles

Deschutes National Forest Photography Guide

National Forest in Deschutes County, Oregon

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–305°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives · Attribution · source

Located in Deschutes County, Oregon, Deschutes National Forest is a national forest. It sits roughly 11.4 km (7.1 mi) W of Deschutes River Woods.

The Deschutes National Forest is a United States national forest (NF) located in Central Oregon, in parts of Deschutes, Klamath, Lake, and Jefferson counties. It was established in 1908, with border changes following in 1911 and 1915. The forest now encompasses almost 1.6 million acres (6,500 km2) along the east side of the Cascade Range. The forest is bordered to the south by the Fremont–Winema NF, to the southwest by the Umpqua NF, and to the west by the Willamette NF. The Deschutes NF hosts official preservation areas, various biology, and recreational activities.From the Wikipedia article “Deschutes National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Deschutes River Woods
11.4 km (7.1 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
July
24% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:44 PM
sunset 6:24 PM

Light at Deschutes National Forest

Live
Sunrise
7:27 AM
Sunset
6:15 PM
Golden hour AM
7:09 AM – 8:07 AM
Golden hour PM
5:36 PM – 6:33 PM
Blue hour AM
6:58 AM – 7:09 AM
Blue hour PM
6:33 PM – 6:45 PM
Full darkness
7:52 PM – 5:52 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:44 PM / 1:19 AM
Day length
10h 48m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Deschutes National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:10 AM90° E7:19 PM271° W46°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:24 AM56° NE8:53 PM305° NW69°15h 29m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:54 AM89° E7:05 PM271° W46°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:38 AM123° ESE4:31 PM238° WSW23°8h 53m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:06 AM7:38 AM8:24 AM4:09 PM4:54 PM5:26 PM9h 16m
February6:36 AM7:06 AM7:47 AM4:55 PM5:36 PM6:06 PM10h 30m
March6:50 AM7:19 AM7:57 AM6:34 PM7:12 PM7:41 PM11h 53m
April5:53 AM6:23 AM7:02 AM7:11 PM7:50 PM8:20 PM13h 27m
May5:07 AM5:41 AM6:22 AM7:44 PM8:26 PM8:59 PM14h 45m
June4:47 AM5:23 AM6:08 AM8:07 PM8:51 PM9:28 PM15h 28m
July5:03 AM5:38 AM6:21 AM8:04 PM8:47 PM9:22 PM15h 10m
August5:39 AM6:11 AM6:51 AM7:32 PM8:12 PM8:43 PM14h 01m
September6:17 AM6:46 AM7:24 AM6:40 PM7:18 PM7:47 PM12h 32m
October6:52 AM7:21 AM8:00 AM5:44 PM6:24 PM6:53 PM11h 02m
November6:31 AM7:02 AM7:45 AM3:58 PM4:41 PM5:12 PM9h 39m
December7:02 AM7:35 AM8:22 AM3:42 PM4:29 PM5:02 PM8h 55m

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 Deschutes National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
March4:59 AM – 5:39 AM0.714°SSE → SSE
April2:55 AM – 4:35 AM1.717°SSE → S
May1:00 AM – 3:30 AM2.517°SSE → S
June11:16 PM – 2:56 AM3.717°SSE → SSW
July11:02 PM – 1:32 AM2.517°S → SSW
August10:04 PM – 11:34 PM1.516°S → SSW
September8:57 PM – 9:27 PM0.513°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.17 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 24% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F656577849410010310298887258
Low °F-842222633404030173-6
Precip. (in)2.92.62.52.31.81.30.20.51.02.02.93.8

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.
  • Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
  • 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 Deschutes National Forest, closest first.

Three Sisters WildernessWilderness Area
Three Sisters Wilderness0.0 km away · Deschutes County
Scenic Viewpoint
Rock Viewpoint5.0 km away · Deschutes County · 1,334 m
Tumalo FallsWaterfall
Tumalo Falls6.6 km away · Deschutes County · 1,549 m
Waterfall
Bridge Creek Falls7.2 km away · Deschutes County
Waterfall
Upper Falls Deschutes River7.7 km away · Deschutes County · 1,204 m
Waterfall
Lava Island Falls8.3 km away · Deschutes County · 1,196 m
Dillon FallsWaterfall
Dillon Falls8.5 km away · Deschutes County · 1,220 m
Benham FallsWaterfall
Benham Falls9.9 km away · Deschutes County · 1,259 m
Tumalo MountainMountain Peak
Tumalo Mountain11 km away · Deschutes County · 2,370 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Deschutes National Forest?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Autumn color and spring flowers draw photographers; winter brings snow-covered forests in the North and West.
What time is golden hour at Deschutes National Forest?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:44 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:24 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:00 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Deschutes National Forest?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Deschutes National Forest?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Deschutes National Forest?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Deschutes National Forest from Deschutes River Woods?
About 11.4 km (7.1 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.