Mount Baker as seen from Baker Lake to the east and below the mountain - the Baker River which flows off of Mount Baker is the main tributary that feeds Baker L
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47.7660° N121.3780° WBortle 4Los Angeles

Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest Photography Guide

National Forest in King County, Washington

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 235°–308°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug
Photo: Lhb1239 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest is a national forest in King County, Washington. It sits roughly 26 km (16 mi) ESE of Gold Bar.

The Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest is a National Forest in Washington extending more than 140 miles (230 km) along the western slopes of the Cascade Range from the Canada–US border to the northern boundary of Mount Rainier National Park. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, with the forest's headquarters in South Everett. Local ranger district offices are located in Sedro-Woolley, Darrington, Skykomish, North Bend and Enumclaw.From the Wikipedia article “Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Gold Bar
26 km (16 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
July
36% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
1.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:36 PM
sunset 6:19 PM

Light at Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest

Live
Sunrise
7:33 AM
Sunset
6:10 PM
Golden hour AM
7:13 AM – 8:16 AM
Golden hour PM
5:27 PM – 6:29 PM
Blue hour AM
7:01 AM – 7:13 AM
Blue hour PM
6:29 PM – 6:41 PM
Full darkness
7:53 PM – 5:51 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:52 PM / 1:08 AM
Day length
10h 37m
Sunrise azimuth
105°
Sunset azimuth
255°
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 Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:09 AM89° E7:18 PM271° W42°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:08 AM53° NE9:08 PM308° NW66°16h 01m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:53 AM89° E7:05 PM271° W42°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:52 AM125° SE4:16 PM235° SW19°8h 24m

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
January7:15 AM7:50 AM8:41 AM3:51 PM4:41 PM5:16 PM8h 51m
February6:41 AM7:12 AM7:56 AM4:45 PM5:29 PM6:01 PM10h 16m
March6:49 AM7:19 AM8:00 AM6:30 PM7:11 PM7:42 PM11h 52m
April5:44 AM6:17 AM6:59 AM7:14 PM7:55 PM8:28 PM13h 38m
May4:52 AM5:28 AM6:14 AM7:52 PM8:37 PM9:14 PM15h 09m
June4:26 AM5:07 AM5:56 AM8:18 PM9:06 PM9:47 PM15h 59m
July4:44 AM5:23 AM6:10 AM8:14 PM9:01 PM9:40 PM15h 38m
August5:28 AM6:02 AM6:45 AM7:37 PM8:20 PM8:54 PM14h 18m
September6:13 AM6:44 AM7:24 AM6:39 PM7:20 PM7:51 PM12h 36m
October6:54 AM7:25 AM8:07 AM5:36 PM6:19 PM6:50 PM10h 54m
November6:38 AM7:12 AM8:00 AM3:42 PM4:30 PM5:04 PM9h 18m
December7:13 AM7:49 AM8:42 AM3:21 PM4:15 PM4:51 PM8h 26m

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 Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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—-6°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—5°—
MarchBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
April3:41 AM – 4:11 AM0.512°SSE → SSE
May1:42 AM – 3:02 AM1.313°SSE → S
June12:16 AM – 1:56 AM1.713°SSE → S
July11:45 PM – 12:55 AM1.213°S → SSW
August10:25 PM – 10:55 PM0.512°SSW → SSW
SeptemberBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—5°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
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 ≈ 21.23 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 36% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (76%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F534959717892929189725746
Low °F-16-11-4620283635275-10-15
Precip. (in)9.97.17.55.13.93.11.11.43.07.110.39.6

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

  • 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.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest, closest first.

Baring MountainMountain Peak
Baring Mountain4.6 km away · King County · 1,864 m
Gunn PeakMountain Peak
Gunn Peak7.6 km away · Snohomish County · 1,887 m
Wilderness Area
Wild Sky Wilderness9.2 km away · Snohomish County
Eagle FallsWaterfall
Eagle Falls11 km away · Snohomish County · 215 m
Evergreen Mountain LookoutFire Lookout
Evergreen Mountain Lookout12 km away · Snohomish County
Canyon FallsWaterfall
Canyon Falls13 km away · Snohomish County · 196 m
Waterfall
Alpine Falls13 km away · King County · 425 m
Sunset FallsWaterfall
Sunset Falls14 km away · Snohomish County · 185 m
Hot Spring
Garland Hot Springs14 km away · Snohomish County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Mount Baker–Snoqualmie 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 Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:36 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:19 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:07 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 53° in June to 125° in December; sunset ranges from 308° to 235°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Baker–Snoqualmie 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 Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest from Gold Bar?
About 26 km (16 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.