Washington National Forest — a national forest in King County, Washington — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 39 km (24 mi) WNW of Leavenworth.
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.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Washington 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) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:07 AM | 53° NE | 9:07 PM | 308° NW | 66° | 16h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 125° SE | 4:16 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 25m |
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 | 8:39 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:15 PM | 8h 51m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:28 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 17m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 08m |
| June | 4:26 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:55 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:46 PM | 15h 58m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:13 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 37m |
| August | 5:27 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 18m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 18m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:40 AM | 3:21 PM | 4:14 PM | 4:50 PM | 8h 27m |
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 Washington 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 3 (rural sky), 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 | 3:40 AM – 4:10 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:41 AM – 3:01 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:15 AM – 1:55 AM | 1.7 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:44 PM – 12:54 AM | 1.2 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:24 PM – 10:54 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.42 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 53 | 49 | 59 | 71 | 78 | 92 | 92 | 91 | 89 | 72 | 57 | 46 |
| Low °F | -16 | -11 | -4 | 6 | 20 | 28 | 36 | 35 | 27 | 5 | -10 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.9 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 7.1 | 10.3 | 9.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Washington National Forest, closest first.
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
Mountain Pass
Lake
Wilderness Area
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Beckler River Campground14.4 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
- Miller River Group Camp17.3 km (10.8 mi) · reservable
- Money Creek Campground19.3 km (12.0 mi) · reservable
- Evergreen Mountain Lookout20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Chatter Creek Group Site22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Washington National Forest?
What time is golden hour at Washington National Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Washington National Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Washington National Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Washington National Forest?
How far is Washington National Forest from Leavenworth?
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.