Malheur National Forest — a national forest in Grant County, Oregon — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is John Day, about 20 km (12 mi) away (Malheur National Forest lies SE of town).
The Malheur National Forest is a National Forest in the U.S. state of Oregon. It contains more than 1.4 million acres (5,700 km2) in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. The forest consists of high desert grasslands, sage, juniper, pine, fir, and other tree species. Elevations vary from about 4,000 feet (1,200 m) to the 9,038-foot (2,755 m) peak of Strawberry Mountain. The Strawberry Mountains of eastern Oregon extend east to west through the center of the forest. U.S. Route 395 runs south to north through the forest, while U.S. Route 26 runs east to west.From the Wikipedia article “Malheur National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Malheur National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 55° NE | 8:43 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 123° ESE | 4:20 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 51m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:14 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 14m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 4:35 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:56 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 30m |
| July | 4:51 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:36 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:13 AM | 3:30 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:51 PM | 8h 53m |
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 Malheur National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:48 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:45 AM – 4:15 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:51 AM – 3:21 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:08 PM – 2:38 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:53 PM – 1:23 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 11:24 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 9:16 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 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 27% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 54 | 55 | 71 | 80 | 90 | 98 | 104 | 99 | 98 | 88 | 66 | 55 |
| Low °F | -12 | -2 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 28 | 36 | 34 | 26 | 10 | 0 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
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
- Look for fire lookouts and high roads for views over the canopy.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Malheur National Forest, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
LakeWaterfall
Hot SpringHot SpringHot Spring
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Big Creek Campground 17.1 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Fall Mountain Lookout Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Malheur National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Malheur National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Malheur National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Malheur National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Malheur National Forest?
How far is Malheur National Forest from John Day?
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.