Cow Horn Arch — a natural arch in Douglas County, Oregon at about 1,301 m (4,268 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Shady Cove, about 41 km (25 mi) away (Cow Horn Arch lies NNE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cow Horn 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 70° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:32 AM | 56° ENE | 8:54 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:39 AM | 122° ESE | 4:40 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 00m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:24 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 22m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:15 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:27 PM | 15h 20m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 03m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 45m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:22 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 02m |
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 Cow Horn 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:56 AM – 4:36 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:58 AM – 3:38 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:11 PM – 3:11 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:58 PM – 1:48 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 11:44 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:00 PM – 9:50 PM | 0.8 | 14° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 19% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 60 | 61 | 69 | 80 | 92 | 101 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 90 | 76 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 28 | 37 | 35 | 29 | 23 | 4 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 6.5 |
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 Cow Horn Arch, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Natural Arch
Scenic Viewpoint
Fire LookoutWaterfall
Fire Lookout
Wilderness AreaWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Butler Butte Cabin8.0 km (5.0 mi) · reservable
- Whisky Camp Guard Station9.5 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Acker Rock Lookout11.5 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Jim Creek Group Campground13.4 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Ash Flat Campground13.6 km (8.4 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cow Horn Arch?
What time is golden hour at Cow Horn Arch?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cow Horn Arch?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cow Horn Arch?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cow Horn Arch?
How far is Cow Horn Arch from Shady Cove?
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.