H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor — a state park in Tillamook County, Oregon — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 7.2 km (4.5 mi) ENE of Rose Lodge.
H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor is a 12-mile (19 km) scenic driving route along Route 18 in Lincoln, Tillamook, and Polk counties in the U.S. state of Oregon that passes through a forested corridor. The Van Duzer Corridor stretches from northwestern Polk County to Lincoln City, passing through the Northern Oregon Coast Range. The forest corridor was named for Henry B. Van Duzer, a member of the Oregon State Highway Commission and president of the Inman Poulson Logging Company, who was appointed by Governor I. L. Patterson as the first chairman of the Oregon State Parks Commission in 1929. The land, purchased by the State of Oregon between 1935 and 1942, is managed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, which also maintains a scenic rest stop on the route. An old growth Douglas-fir forest is located along the Salmon River. Roosevelt elk can be seen along the route.From the Wikipedia article “H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor 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) | 7:19 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:29 AM | 55° NE | 9:06 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 123° ESE | 4:37 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 45m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:37 AM | 4:13 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:32 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:36 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:09 PM | 8h 47m |
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 H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor, 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 3 (rural sky), 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 | 5:19 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:18 AM – 4:38 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:17 AM – 3:27 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:37 PM – 2:47 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:20 PM – 1:30 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:18 PM – 11:28 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:08 PM – 9:28 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.53 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 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 | 57 | 59 | 66 | 77 | 83 | 80 | 86 | 92 | 87 | 79 | 64 | 57 |
| Low °F | 19 | 20 | 27 | 31 | 34 | 42 | 47 | 48 | 39 | 31 | 24 | 16 |
| Precip. (in) | 10.3 | 7.2 | 7.9 | 5.1 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 6.1 | 10.5 | 11.4 |
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
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor, closest first.
Waterfall
Covered BridgeWaterfall
State ParkWaterfall
Lake
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Castle Rock Group Campground15.1 km (9.4 mi) · reservable
- Hebo Lake Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Rocky Bend Group Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Sandbeach Campground - Sand Lake Recreation Area29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- East Dunes Campground - Sand Lake Recreation Area30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor?
What time is golden hour at H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor?
Where does the sun rise and set at H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor?
Can you see the Milky Way from H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor?
Do you need a permit to photograph at H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor?
How far is H. B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor from Rose Lodge?
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.