Olympic National Forest — a national forest in Jefferson County, Washington — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Seabeck, about 26 km (16 mi) away (Olympic National Forest lies NW of town).
Olympic National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Washington. With an area of 628,115 acres (254,189 ha), it nearly surrounds Olympic National Park and the Olympic Mountain range. Olympic National Forest contains parts of Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, and Mason counties. The landscape of the national forest varies, from the temperate Olympic rain forest to the salt water fjord of Hood Canal to the peaks of Mt. Washington. Annual precipitation averages about 220 inches (5,600 mm), giving rise to streams such as the Humptulips River. Olympic National Forest was originally created as Olympic Forest Reserve in 1897, then renamed to Olympic National Forest in 1907. A portion of the National Forest became the Mount Olympus National Monument in 1909, which was later designated Olympic National Park.From the Wikipedia article “Olympic National Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Olympic 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 53° NE | 9:15 PM | 308° NW | 66° | 16h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:59 AM | 125° SE | 4:23 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:48 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:22 PM | 8h 50m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 16m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 09m |
| June | 4:33 AM | 5:14 AM | 6:02 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:54 PM | 16h 00m |
| July | 4:51 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:17 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 38m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 18m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:57 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 18m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:49 AM | 3:28 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:57 PM | 8h 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 Olympic 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:47 AM – 4:17 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:48 AM – 3:08 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:22 AM – 2:02 AM | 1.7 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:51 PM – 1:01 AM | 1.2 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:31 PM – 11:01 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.09 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 46% average cloud cover) and January 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 | 58 | 62 | 67 | 76 | 89 | 98 | 99 | 97 | 99 | 84 | 65 | 54 |
| Low °F | -2 | 12 | 22 | 25 | 28 | 37 | 39 | 41 | 32 | 22 | 3 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 14.2 | 8.6 | 10.9 | 6.6 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 9.6 | 15.0 | 13.9 |
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.
- Fire restrictions may limit campfires and stoves in summer.
- 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 Olympic National Forest, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain PassWilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Waterfall
WaterfallMountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Falls View Campground10.8 km (6.7 mi)
- Collins Campground14.5 km (9.0 mi)
- Interrorem Cabin15.3 km (9.5 mi) · reservable
- Dungeness Forks Campground18.6 km (11.6 mi)
- Louella Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Olympic National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Olympic National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Olympic National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Olympic National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Olympic National Forest?
How far is Olympic National Forest from Seabeck?
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.