Located in Klamath County, Oregon, Collier Memorial State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 47 km (29 mi) N of Klamath Falls.
Collier Memorial State Park is a state park in southern Oregon. The park is operated and maintained by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It is located on U.S. Highway 97, approximately 30 miles (48 km) north of Klamath Falls and 105 miles (169 km) south of Bend. The park covers 146 acres (59 ha) along the Williamson River.From the Wikipedia article “Collier Memorial State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Collier Memorial 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 304° (NW) 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) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 57° ENE | 8:50 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 122° ESE | 4:38 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 02m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 24m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 37m |
| June | 4:55 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 18m |
| July | 5:10 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 01m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:17 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 04m |
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 Collier Memorial State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:52 AM – 4:42 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:54 AM – 3:44 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 3:05 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:53 PM – 1:43 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 11:50 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 9:46 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: 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 ≈ 21.88 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 20% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 59 | 60 | 72 | 78 | 87 | 96 | 100 | 96 | 94 | 86 | 71 | 54 |
| Low °F | -12 | -10 | 4 | 15 | 21 | 27 | 38 | 35 | 26 | 17 | -6 | -10 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 4.4 |
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 Collier Memorial State Park, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Canyon
State Park
Lake
National Wildlife RefugeMountain Peak
Waterfall
Lake
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Collier Memorial State Park?
What time is golden hour at Collier Memorial State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Collier Memorial State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Collier Memorial State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Collier Memorial State Park?
How far is Collier Memorial State Park from Klamath Falls?
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.