Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail is a National Geologic Trail in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 4 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Ice Age Floods
We matched 4 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Ice Age Floods. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Mountain Peaks (2)
Canyons (1)
Rock Formations (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Ice Age Floods 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 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:36 AM | 8:25 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:35 PM | 240° | 8h 59m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:21 PM | 253° | 10h 21m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:02 PM | 268° | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:44 PM | 285° | 13h 34m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:24 PM | 299° | 15h 01m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:50 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:52 PM | 306° | 15h 49m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 6:04 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:47 PM | 303° | 15h 28m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:08 PM | 292° | 14h 13m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:09 PM | 275° | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:11 PM | 258° | 10h 57m |
| November | 6:59 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:24 PM | 244° | 9h 25m |
| December | 7:34 AM | 8:25 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:10 PM | 236° | 8h 36m |
Computed for the park's reference point (46.5669, -118.9926); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Ice Age Floods, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 5:13 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.2 | 11° |
| April | 3:15 AM – 4:15 AM | 1.0 | 14° |
| May | 1:10 AM – 3:00 AM | 1.8 | 15° |
| June | 11:40 PM – 2:10 AM | 2.5 | 15° |
| July | 11:18 PM – 12:58 AM | 1.7 | 15° |
| August | 10:07 PM – 10:57 PM | 0.8 | 13° |
| September | 8:53 PM – 8:53 PM | 0.0 | 11° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
The National Geologic Trail is a collection of sites stretched across a four state area, the weather will vary from site to site. Please check the weather for your local region, or the region you'll be visiting, through their respective sites.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (79%). July 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.
Getting there
To Trail Headquarters from Spokane Take I-90 West At Exit 277, merge onto US-2 toward Davenport/Fairchild AFB/Spokane Airport Just past Wilbur, turn right onto WA-21 Stay left onto Highway 174 Turn right onto WA-155 Stay on WA-155 past Grand Coulee Dam and into the town of Coulee Dam Cross the Columbia River and continue on WA-155 Turn right onto Crest Drive and follow up the hill. The HQ Office is located on the left
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Junior Ranger Program
