Located in Curry County, Oregon, Alfred A. Loeb State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Harbor, about 9.3 km (5.8 mi) away (Alfred A. Loeb State Park lies NE of town).
Alfred A. Loeb State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Located on the banks of the Chetco River, the park offers camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, and rafting opportunities. In the parks boundaries are 3 rental cabins, 53 camping sites, a launch area for drift boats, a day-use area, and the head of a 0.75-mile (1.2 km) trail that includes the northernmost coastal redwood grove in the United States.From the Wikipedia article “Alfred A. Loeb State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Alfred A. Loeb State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 57° ENE | 8:57 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 122° ESE | 4:49 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 06m |
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 | 7:43 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:25 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:24 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 08m |
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 Alfred A. Loeb State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:57 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:49 AM – 4:49 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:48 AM – 3:58 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 11:07 PM – 3:27 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:57 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 12:05 AM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.73 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 45% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (75%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 65 | 66 | 69 | 74 | 75 | 82 | 82 | 85 | 91 | 80 | 70 | 59 |
| Low °F | 26 | 29 | 33 | 35 | 38 | 44 | 48 | 49 | 44 | 39 | 33 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.0 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 4.2 | 8.6 | 12.2 |
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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Alfred A. Loeb State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Beach
State Park
Natural Arch
National Forest
State Park
Wilderness Area
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ludlum House10.8 km (6.7 mi) · reservable
- Packers Cabin17.1 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Quail Prairie Lookout18.2 km (11.3 mi) · reservable
- North Fork Campground24 km (15 mi)
- Snow Camp Lookout26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Alfred A. Loeb State Park?
What time is golden hour at Alfred A. Loeb State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Alfred A. Loeb State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Alfred A. Loeb State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Alfred A. Loeb State Park?
How far is Alfred A. Loeb State Park from Harbor?
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.