Located in Umatilla County, Oregon, Butte Park is a rock formation. It lies in or next to Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Hermiston, about 1.2 km (0.7 mi) away (Butte Park lies NW of town).
From the National Park Service
The dramatic landscape that surrounds Hermiston feels almost as if it’s straight out of a fantasy. From the natural features that look like they’ve been sculpted by hand to the peaceful fields full of shrubs and flowers, visitors might think they’ve stepped into a landscape painting. One of the best places to get up close and personal with this beautiful wilderness is Butte Park. The park includes a large playground, four soccer fields, and a picnic shelter, yet its focal point is Hermiston Butte. The main attraction in the park is to climb the butte. While very steep, the butte is climbable and a popular hiking destination. In fact, there is an annual race to see who can finish the trail up and down the butte the fastest. For our guests, it’s recommended that you take your time and enjoy the stunning views from butte.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Butte Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 54° NE | 8:52 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 124° SE | 4:16 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 39m |
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
Rock towers and buttes glow red and orange in the first and last half-hour of sun; midday light flattens their shape.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:23 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 4:29 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:53 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 43m |
| July | 4:46 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:07 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 23m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:44 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:00 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:23 AM | 3:24 PM | 4:14 PM | 4:48 PM | 8h 41m |
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 Butte Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:03 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:03 AM – 4:13 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:04 AM – 3:04 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:29 PM – 2:19 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:10 PM – 1:10 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 11:04 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 9:02 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.44 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 25% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 66 | 67 | 79 | 88 | 97 | 103 | 105 | 105 | 102 | 88 | 71 | 64 |
| Low °F | -1 | 8 | 17 | 24 | 31 | 38 | 46 | 45 | 32 | 17 | 12 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2.0 |
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 rock formation
- At night, a formation under the Milky Way or star trails makes a strong anchor.
- Use the sunrise and sunset azimuths below to know which face will be lit.
- Stay on trails; desert soils and lichens take decades to recover from footprints.
- Find a spot where the formation sits against open sky to emphasize its silhouette.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring and autumn are best in desert regions; winter snow on red rock is rare but spectacular.
Suggested gear: Wide and telephoto lenses, Tripod, Headlamp. 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 Butte Park, closest first.
Ghost Town
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife RefugeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- West Park (Or)8.6 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- Spillway Park - Chinook Shelter (Or)9.4 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Mcnary Beach - Sockeye Shelter (Or)9.5 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Plymouth Park10.3 km (6.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Butte Park?
What time is golden hour at Butte Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Butte Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Butte Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Butte Park?
How far is Butte Park from Hermiston?
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.