Battle Rock Arch is a natural arch in Curry County, Oregon. The nearest town is Port Orford, about 1.0 km (0.6 mi) away (Battle Rock Arch lies SE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Battle Rock Arch the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 56° ENE | 9:00 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 122° ESE | 4:48 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 02m |
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
Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:15 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 23m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 19m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 01m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 03m |
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 Battle Rock Arch, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:59 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:02 AM – 4:52 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:04 AM – 3:54 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:15 PM – 3:15 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:03 PM – 1:53 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 12:00 AM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:56 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.91 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 45% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (75%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 65 | 66 | 69 | 74 | 75 | 82 | 82 | 85 | 91 | 80 | 70 | 59 |
| Low °F | 26 | 29 | 33 | 35 | 38 | 44 | 48 | 49 | 44 | 39 | 33 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.0 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 4.2 | 8.6 | 12.2 |
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 natural arch
- At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
- Use a wide lens and get close to emphasize the span against the sky.
- Never climb on arches; many are fragile and climbing is prohibited on park lands.
- Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Battle Rock Arch, closest first.
Rock Formation
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Wilderness Area
Lake
BeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Edson Creek Campground (Or)10.5 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Sixes River Campground Or16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Battle Rock Arch?
What time is golden hour at Battle Rock Arch?
Where does the sun rise and set at Battle Rock Arch?
Can you see the Milky Way from Battle Rock Arch?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Battle Rock Arch?
How far is Battle Rock Arch from Port Orford?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.