Located in Okanogan County, Washington, Omak Rock is a rock formation. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) SE of Okanogan.
Omak Rock, also known as Balance Rock, is a balancing rock in the Colville Indian Reservation, in the U.S. state of Washington. Located within the Greater Omak Area of the Okanogan Country, the glacial erratic is about 1,340 feet (410 m) from Omak Lake. It is positioned within the vicinity of the 1872 North Cascades earthquake, which it survived. The fact of its survival has been the basis of studies to help determine the acceleration and intensity of the quake. Some believe that the epicenter of the earthquake may have been very close to Omak Rock. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation believe that the rock represents a symbol of nature's perfection in the region.From the Wikipedia article “Omak Rock”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Omak Rock the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:58 AM | 52° NE | 9:03 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 126° SE | 4:06 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 20m |
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 | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:35 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:06 PM | 8h 47m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 14m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:35 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 40m |
| May | 4:41 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:08 PM | 15h 12m |
| June | 4:16 AM | 4:57 AM | 5:46 AM | 8:12 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:42 PM | 16h 03m |
| July | 4:34 AM | 5:13 AM | 6:01 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 41m |
| August | 5:18 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 52m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:55 PM | 9h 15m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:36 AM | 3:11 PM | 4:04 PM | 4:41 PM | 8h 22m |
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 Omak Rock, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:34 AM – 4:04 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:38 AM – 2:38 AM | 1.0 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:23 AM – 1:23 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 11:44 PM – 12:34 AM | 0.8 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:19 PM – 10:39 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 34% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 42 | 52 | 61 | 76 | 86 | 96 | 97 | 97 | 90 | 79 | 56 | 40 |
| Low °F | -24 | -14 | -7 | 13 | 24 | 31 | 38 | 39 | 26 | 11 | -13 | -19 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 2.6 |
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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Omak Rock, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sugarloaf Campground (Wa)14.1 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- Kerr Campground16.6 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
- Salmon Meadows Campground20 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Omak Rock?
What time is golden hour at Omak Rock?
Where does the sun rise and set at Omak Rock?
Can you see the Milky Way from Omak Rock?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Omak Rock?
How far is Omak Rock from Okanogan?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.