Humbug Mountain State Park — a state park in Curry County, Oregon — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 8.3 km (5.2 mi) SE of Port Orford.
Humbug Mountain State Park is a state park located on the Oregon coast. It is administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The park can be accessed via the US Route 101, 6 miles (10 km) south of Port Orford, and 28 miles (45 km) north of Gold Beach. It covers 1,842 acres (7.45 km2) of land around 1,759-foot (536 m) Humbug Mountain, one of the tallest headlands on the Oregon coast.From the Wikipedia article “Humbug Mountain State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Humbug Mountain State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (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) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 56° ENE | 9:00 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 122° ESE | 4:48 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 | 7:15 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 24m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 18m |
| July | 5:20 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:29 PM | 15h 01m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:18 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 Humbug Mountain 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 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 | 4:59 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:02 AM – 4:52 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:04 AM – 3:54 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:15 PM – 3:15 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:03 PM – 1:53 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 12:00 AM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:56 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Humbug Mountain State Park, closest first.
Rock Formation
Natural Arch
State Park
Wilderness Area
Beach
Lighthouse
Wilderness Area
Lake
BeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Edson Creek Campground (Or)14.5 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
- Sixes River Campground Or16.6 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
- Lake Of The Woods Lookout27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Humbug Mountain State Park?
What time is golden hour at Humbug Mountain State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Humbug Mountain State Park?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Humbug Mountain State Park?
How far is Humbug Mountain State Park from Port Orford?
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.