Located in Pierce County, Washington, Chinook Entrance Arch is a natural arch. It lies in or next to Mount Rainier National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 50 km (31 mi) ESE of Crocker.
From the National Park Service
Season: Summer Only (June - November) SR410 is open to vehicles during the summer season only, typically late May-November.
The Chinook Entrance Arch spans the width of the Mather Memorial Parkway (SR 410) at the 5,432 feet Chinook Pass on the eastern boundary of the park. The arch was designed as both an entrance portal and an equestrian overpass, to convey hikers and riders on the Pacific Crest Trail. Designed in the NPS Rustic Architecture style using natural materials, the arch is 90 feet long and the deck of the "bridge" rests on two cedar logs, 36 inches in diameter. Two more logs, 30 inches in diameter, serve as guardwalls. The stone abutments are masonry, consisting of irregular, mostly five-sided stones gathered from the roadsides. Built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the rustic-style arch became deteriorated by the elements and nearly eight decades of use, prompting Mount Rainier National Park to undertake a massive restoration project to preserve this historic structure in 2011 and 2012.
Hiking The Chinook Entrance Arch is located near Tipsoo Lake. The area experiences heavy snowfall in winter, with snow lingering well into June or even July. A network of easy trails, suitable for all ages, leads through the subalpine meadows and around the lake. Naches Peak Loop Trail is a popular hike. Starting from Tipsoo Lake, the 3.4 mi (5.5 km) trail connects to the Pacific Crest Trail on the eastern edge of the park, crosses over the Chinook Entrance Arch, then returns to Tipsoo Lake. This trail features superb wildflower displays in midsummer, huckleberries in early fall, and brilliant autumn colors. Note that while pets are allowed on the Pacific Crest Trail, they are not permitted on the portion of the loop trail within the park or around Tipsoo Lake. Swimming or wading is not permitted in the lake. Please stay on the trails at all times to avoid damaging the delicate meadow plants. Picnic tables are available near the parking area.
Tipsoo Lake can experience heavy visitation and parking can be limited. Plan ahead with an alternate destination in mind or come early or late in the day or on a weekday to avoid congestion .
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chinook Entrance Arch the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 54° NE | 9:05 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 125° SE | 4:21 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 31m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:19 PM | 8h 57m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 20m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 35m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 03m |
| June | 4:32 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:59 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:43 PM | 15h 51m |
| July | 4:50 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 30m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 14m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 56m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 23m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:27 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:54 PM | 8h 33m |
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 Chinook Entrance Arch, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° 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 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:26 AM – 4:16 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:32 AM – 3:02 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:54 PM – 2:14 AM | 2.3 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:31 PM – 1:11 AM | 1.7 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:19 PM – 11:09 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:04 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| December | Below 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 ≈ 21.43 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 29% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). August 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 | 55 | 54 | 64 | 73 | 82 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 92 | 81 | 59 | 47 |
| Low °F | -12 | -9 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 37 | 27 | 14 | -11 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.2 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 6.7 |
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
- Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Chinook Entrance Arch, closest first.
Mountain Pass
Lake
Mountain Pass
WaterfallWaterfall
Fire Lookout
Glacier
Mountain Peak
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- White River Campground10.2 km (6.3 mi) · reservable
- Lodgepole Campground (Washington)11.1 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
- Silver Springs Campground13.6 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
- Bumping Lake Campground16.2 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Ohanapecosh Campground16.2 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chinook Entrance Arch?
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Sources
Location data: National Park Service. 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.