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45.2290° N124.0179° WBortle 3Los Angeles

Two Arches Photography Guide

Natural Arch in Tillamook County, Oregon

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 237°–306°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug

Two Arches is a natural arch in Tillamook County, Oregon. The nearest town is Pacific City, about 5.2 km (3.2 mi) away (Two Arches lies NW of town).

Nearest town
Pacific City
5.2 km (3.2 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
63% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:52 PM
sunset 6:32 PM

Light at Two Arches

Live
Sunrise
7:39 AM
Sunset
6:24 PM
Golden hour AM
7:21 AM – 8:20 AM
Golden hour PM
5:43 PM – 6:42 PM
Blue hour AM
7:09 AM – 7:21 AM
Blue hour PM
6:42 PM – 6:53 PM
Full darkness
8:02 PM – 6:02 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:56 PM / 1:26 AM
Day length
10h 45m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Two Arches the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:20 AM89° E7:29 PM271° W45°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:29 AM55° NE9:08 PM306° NW68°15h 39m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:04 AM89° E7:15 PM271° W45°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:53 AM124° ESE4:37 PM237° WSW21°8h 44m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:19 AM7:52 AM8:39 AM4:13 PM5:00 PM5:33 PM9h 08m
February6:48 AM7:18 AM8:00 AM5:02 PM5:44 PM6:14 PM10h 26m
March7:00 AM7:29 AM8:08 AM6:43 PM7:22 PM7:52 PM11h 53m
April6:01 AM6:32 AM7:11 AM7:22 PM8:02 PM8:33 PM13h 30m
May5:13 AM5:47 AM6:30 AM7:57 PM8:39 PM9:14 PM14h 52m
June4:51 AM5:29 AM6:14 AM8:21 PM9:06 PM9:44 PM15h 38m
July5:07 AM5:44 AM6:28 AM8:18 PM9:02 PM9:38 PM15h 18m
August5:46 AM6:18 AM6:59 AM7:44 PM8:25 PM8:57 PM14h 06m
September6:26 AM6:56 AM7:34 AM6:50 PM7:29 PM7:59 PM12h 33m
October7:03 AM7:33 AM8:13 AM5:52 PM6:32 PM7:02 PM11h 00m
November6:43 AM7:15 AM8:00 AM4:03 PM4:48 PM5:20 PM9h 33m
December7:15 AM7:49 AM8:38 AM3:46 PM4:35 PM5:09 PM8h 46m

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 Two Arches, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—7°—
March5:21 AM – 5:41 AM0.312°SSE → SSE
April3:20 AM – 4:40 AM1.315°SSE → S
May1:19 AM – 3:29 AM2.216°SSE → S
June11:41 PM – 2:51 AM3.216°SSE → SSW
July11:24 PM – 1:34 AM2.216°S → SSW
August10:20 PM – 11:30 PM1.215°SSW → SSW
September9:10 PM – 9:30 PM0.312°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—7°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.65 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 63% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (85%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F575860657271746970676160
Low °F333037394349535552413631
Precip. (in)9.76.67.34.72.51.80.71.02.45.59.910.4

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 Two Arches, closest first.

Natural Arch
Haystack Rock Arch3.1 km away · Tillamook County
Cape Kiwanda State Natural AreaState Park
Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area3.9 km away · Tillamook County
Bob Straub State ParkState Park
Bob Straub State Park6.6 km away · Tillamook County
Nestucca Bay National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge8.4 km away · Tillamook County
Cape Lookout State ParkState Park
Cape Lookout State Park14 km away · Tillamook County
Neskowin Beach State Recreation SiteState Park
Neskowin Beach State Recreation Site14 km away · Tillamook County
Waterfall
Chitwood Falls17 km away · Tillamook County · 223 m
Waterfall
Gunaldo Falls24 km away · Yamhill County · 176 m
Munson Creek Falls State Natural SiteState Park
Munson Creek Falls State Natural Site24 km away · Tillamook County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Two Arches?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
What time is golden hour at Two Arches?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:52 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:32 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:13 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Two Arches?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 55° in June to 124° in December; sunset ranges from 306° to 237°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Two Arches?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Two Arches?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Two Arches from Pacific City?
About 5.2 km (3.2 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.