Siuslaw National Forest — a national forest in Lincoln County, Oregon — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 15.9 km (9.9 mi) SE of Waldport.
The Siuslaw National Forest ( sy-YOO-slaw) is a national forest in western Oregon in the United States. Established in 1908, the Siuslaw is made up of a wide variety of ecosystems, ranging from coastal forests to sand dunes.From the Wikipedia article “Siuslaw National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Siuslaw 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) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:32 AM | 55° NE | 9:04 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 123° ESE | 4:40 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 | 7:17 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 14m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 4:55 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 30m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:11 PM | 8h 52m |
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 Siuslaw 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 2 (typical truly dark 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 | 5:09 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:06 AM – 4:36 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:12 AM – 3:42 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:29 PM – 2:59 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:14 PM – 1:44 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 11:45 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:37 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.71 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 34% 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 | 61 | 64 | 71 | 79 | 86 | 89 | 87 | 89 | 94 | 80 | 66 | 61 |
| Low °F | 19 | 23 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 41 | 45 | 46 | 40 | 25 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.6 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 4.8 | 8.6 | 10.3 |
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
- 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.
- Fall color peaks vary by elevation; follow it downhill over several weeks.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Siuslaw National Forest, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
State Park
Wilderness Area
Wilderness Area
State Park
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Canal Creek6.7 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- Blackberry7.8 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- River Edge13.5 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
- Tillicum14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Cape Perpetua15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Siuslaw National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Siuslaw National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Siuslaw National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Siuslaw National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Siuslaw National Forest?
How far is Siuslaw National Forest from Waldport?
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.