Ainsworth State Park is a state park in Multnomah County, Oregon. The nearest town is Cascade Locks, about 15.5 km (9.6 mi) away (Ainsworth State Park lies WSW of town).
Ainsworth State Park is a state park in eastern Multnomah County, Oregon, United States near Cascade Locks. It is located in the Columbia River Gorge, adjacent to the Historic Columbia River Highway. The park, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, offers a seasonal, full-service campground, access to Gorge hiking trails beyond park boundaries, and a day-use area. Ainsworth State Park lies within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and is 4 miles (6.4 km) from Multnomah Falls. It is named for John Churchill Ainsworth (1870–1943), a prominent Oregon businessman, Portland banker and chairman of the State Highway Commission from 1931 to 1932. He donated the land in 1933 that became the park and was a son of pioneer steam-boatman John Commingers Ainsworth.From the Wikipedia article “Ainsworth State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ainsworth State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:20 AM | 55° NE | 9:02 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 124° SE | 4:28 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 41m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 06m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:03 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 4:41 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:05 AM | 8:14 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 40m |
| July | 4:58 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 21m |
| August | 5:37 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:54 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:32 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:26 PM | 5:00 PM | 8h 43m |
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 Ainsworth State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:13 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:13 AM – 4:23 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:13 AM – 3:23 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:36 PM – 2:36 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:19 PM – 1:19 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 11:24 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 9:23 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.94 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 39% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 62 | 66 | 74 | 84 | 93 | 100 | 105 | 104 | 101 | 87 | 67 | 61 |
| Low °F | 8 | 15 | 22 | 27 | 33 | 39 | 45 | 44 | 36 | 24 | 15 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 8.6 | 9.7 |
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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Ainsworth State Park, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
National Wildlife Refuge
WaterfallWaterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Eagle Creek Overlook Grp Site11.3 km (7.0 mi) · reservable
- Eagle Creek Campground11.7 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- Wahtum Lake Campground21 km (13 mi)
- Lost Lake Resort And Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Wyeth Campground25 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ainsworth State Park?
What time is golden hour at Ainsworth State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ainsworth State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ainsworth State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ainsworth State Park?
How far is Ainsworth State Park from Cascade Locks?
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.