Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor — a state park in Curry County, Oregon — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Gold Beach, about 8.4 km (5.2 mi) away (Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor lies S of town).
Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It is between Pistol River and Gold Beach on the Pacific coastline and accessed via U.S. Route 101, with a pass elevation of approximately 740 feet (230 m), which is the second highest point of the highway in Oregon. The park includes an overlook and the 3.3-mile (5.3 km) Cape Sebastian Trail.From the Wikipedia article “Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor 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 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (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) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 57° ENE | 8:59 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 122° ESE | 4:49 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 05m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 36m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 16m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:27 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 06m |
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 Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 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 1 (excellent dark-sky 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 | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:58 AM – 5:48 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:51 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 1:00 AM – 3:50 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:11 PM – 3:21 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:00 PM – 2:00 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:08 PM – 11:58 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 9:55 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.91 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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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 Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor, closest first.
State Park
Beach
Natural Arch
Beach
State Park
Beach
State Park
State Park
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor?
What time is golden hour at Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor?
How far is Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor from Gold Beach?
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.