D River State Recreation Site — a state park in Lincoln County, Oregon — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.0 km (0.6 mi) N of Lincoln City.
D River State Recreation Site (also D River State Wayside and D River State Park) is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It is a sandy beach of the Pacific Ocean within central Lincoln City along the length of the 120-foot (37 m) long D River, one of the world's shortest rivers.From the Wikipedia article “D River State Recreation Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At D River State Recreation Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:30 AM | 55° NE | 9:07 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:52 AM | 123° ESE | 4:38 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 7:19 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:14 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 10m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:52 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:15 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 35m |
| July | 5:09 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 16m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:10 PM | 8h 48m |
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 D River State Recreation Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:20 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:19 AM – 4:39 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:18 AM – 3:28 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:38 PM – 2:48 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:21 PM – 1:31 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:19 PM – 11:29 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 9:29 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.0 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 65% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 57 | 60 | 61 | 68 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 68 | 71 | 67 | 62 | 60 |
| Low °F | 32 | 32 | 36 | 40 | 44 | 49 | 50 | 52 | 50 | 39 | 35 | 30 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.6 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 4.7 | 8.6 | 10.3 |
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 D River State Recreation Site, closest first.
State Park
Lake
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Ghost Town
State Park
Covered Bridge
WaterfallWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph D River State Recreation Site?
What time is golden hour at D River State Recreation Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at D River State Recreation Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from D River State Recreation Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at D River State Recreation Site?
How far is D River State Recreation Site from Lincoln City?
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.