Gifford Pinchot National Forest — a national forest in Skamania County, Washington — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 52 km (32 mi) N of Carson.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest is a national forest located in southern Washington, managed by the United States Forest Service. With an area of 1.32 million acres (5,300 km2), it extends 116 km (72 mi) along the western slopes of Cascade Range from Mount Rainier National Park to the Columbia River. The forest straddles the crest of the South Cascades of Washington State, spread out over broad old-growth forests, high mountain meadows, several glaciers, and numerous volcanic peaks. The forest's highest point is at 12,276 ft (3,742 m) at the top of Mount Adams, the second-tallest volcano in the state after Rainier. Often found abbreviated GPNF on maps and in texts, it includes the 110,000-acre (450 km2) Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, established by Congress in 1982.From the Wikipedia article “Gifford Pinchot National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gifford Pinchot National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 54° NE | 9:03 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 124° SE | 4:24 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 37m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 02m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 22m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 58m |
| June | 4:37 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:02 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 45m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 25m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 11m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:52 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 27m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:34 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:57 PM | 8h 39m |
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 Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:25 AM – 4:25 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:19 AM – 3:09 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:46 PM – 2:26 AM | 2.7 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:26 PM – 1:16 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 11:07 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:14 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.58 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 29% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 55 | 54 | 64 | 73 | 82 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 92 | 81 | 59 | 47 |
| Low °F | -12 | -9 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 37 | 27 | 14 | -11 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.2 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 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 national forest
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Gifford Pinchot National Forest, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lewis River Hc (Wa) Gifford Pinchot Nf7.3 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Lower Falls Campground10.1 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
- Cultus Creek Cg (Wa) Gifford Pinchot Nf15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Takhlakh Lake Campground 15.8 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Adams Fork Campground18.7 km (11.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gifford Pinchot National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Gifford Pinchot National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gifford Pinchot National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gifford Pinchot National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gifford Pinchot National Forest?
How far is Gifford Pinchot National Forest from Carson?
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.