Located in Okanogan County, Washington, Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest is a national forest. The nearest town is East Wenatchee Bench, about 125 km (78 mi) away (Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest lies N of town).
The Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Okanogan County in north-central Washington, United States. The 1,499,013-acre (2,342.208 sq mi; 6,066.29 km2) forest is bordered on the north by British Columbia, on the east by Colville National Forest, on the south by the divide between the Methow and the Stehekin–Lake Chelan valleys, and on the west by North Cascades National Park. The closest significant communities are Omak and Okanogan. Managed by the United States Forest Service, its headquarters are in Wenatchee. It is the second-largest national forest (after the Nez Perce National Forest in Idaho) that is contained entirely within one county and largest of which in Washington. Most of the Pasayten Wilderness (excluding its westernmost part, which lies in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest), and the northeast portion (about 63%) of Lake...From the Wikipedia article “Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:00 AM | 52° NE | 9:08 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:52 AM | 126° SE | 4:09 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 17m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:41 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:10 PM | 8h 45m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 13m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:39 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 41m |
| May | 4:44 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 14m |
| June | 4:18 AM | 5:00 AM | 5:49 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:48 PM | 16h 06m |
| July | 4:36 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:04 AM | 8:12 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 44m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 22m |
| September | 6:08 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:45 PM | 10h 52m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 13m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:42 AM | 3:13 PM | 4:07 PM | 4:44 PM | 8h 19m |
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 Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 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 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 | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:51 AM – 4:11 AM | 0.3 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:46 AM – 2:46 AM | 1.0 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:40 AM – 1:20 AM | 0.7 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 11:53 PM – 12:33 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:26 PM – 10:36 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 42% average cloud cover) and November 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 45 | 47 | 56 | 68 | 78 | 87 | 87 | 89 | 85 | 76 | 54 | 43 |
| Low °F | -24 | -23 | -15 | -1 | 15 | 27 | 30 | 33 | 22 | 2 | -20 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.3 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
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.
- 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 Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest, closest first.
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Scenic ViewpointWaterfall
State Park
Mountain PassMountain PeakFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest?
How far is Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest from East Wenatchee Bench?
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.