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Natural Arches in Washington

9 natural arches in Washington with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Pierce County has the most (2). The darkest skies are at Look-Through Rock (Bortle 2).

Top natural arches

Chinook Entrance ArchNatural Arch
Chinook Entrance ArchPierce County
Hole-in-the-WallNatural Arch
Hole-in-the-WallClallam County
Natural Arch
Look-Through RockClallam County
Natural Arch
Devils EyeWhitman County
Natural Arch
Lava BridgeKlickitat County
Natural Arch
Natural BridgePierce County
Natural Arch
The Natural BridgeStevens County
Natural Arch
Sanctuary ArchLewis County
Natural Arch
Grenville ArchGrays Harbor County

Map

How to photograph natural arches

Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.

  • Frame distant features through the opening of the arch for a natural window.
  • 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.

Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.