Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in Oregon, Washington. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Fort Vancouver 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 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:48 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:53 PM | 240° | 9h 05m |
| February | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:38 PM | 253° | 10h 24m |
| March | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:17 PM | 268° | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 285° | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:35 PM | 299° | 14h 55m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 6:07 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:02 PM | 306° | 15h 41m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:58 PM | 303° | 15h 21m |
| August | 6:12 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:20 PM | 291° | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 275° | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:26 PM | 259° | 10h 59m |
| November | 7:11 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:41 PM | 244° | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:45 AM | 8:35 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:28 PM | 237° | 8h 43m |
Computed for the park's reference point (45.6223, -122.6617); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Fort Vancouver, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 12° |
| April | 3:16 AM – 4:26 AM | 1.2 | 15° |
| May | 1:16 AM – 3:26 AM | 2.2 | 16° |
| June | 11:39 PM – 2:39 AM | 3.0 | 16° |
| July | 11:22 PM – 1:22 AM | 2.0 | 16° |
| August | 10:17 PM – 11:27 PM | 1.2 | 14° |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:26 PM | 0.3 | 12° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
8 Estimated Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white.
Weather & best time to visit
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is located in a mild, temperate climate. However, in the case of severe weather, park alerts posted on the park's website will provide information about emergency closures.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and December 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Per Person | $10.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
From I-5, take the Mill Plain Boulevard exit (Exit 1-C) and head east. Turn south onto Fort Vancouver Way. At the traffic circle, go east on Evergreen Boulevard and follow signs to the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center. From I-205, go west on Highway 14 about six miles, then take I-5 north. From I-5, take the Mill Plain Boulevard exit (Exit 1-C) and head east. At the traffic circle, go east on Evergreen Boulevard and follow signs to the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Biking
- Guided Tours
- Living History
- Reenactments
- Historic Weapons Demonstration
- Junior Ranger Program
- Playground
- Wildlife Watching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
