Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park — a state park in Lane County, Oregon — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 5.1 km (3.2 mi) N of Dunes City.
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park, also known simply as Honeyman State Park, is in Lane County of the U.S. state of Oregon. It lies 3 miles (5 km) south of Florence along Highway 101, the coastal highway. The 27,212-acre (11,012 ha) Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area adjoins the park to the west. Many amenities are available, including over 200 campsites, all-terrain vehicle access, swimming, fishing and sandboarding. Originally named Camp Woahink, the park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and was later renamed in honor Jessie M. Honeyman (1852–1948) of Portland. As president of the Oregon Roadside Council, Honeyman worked with Samuel Boardman, Oregon's first Superintendent of State Parks in the 1920s and 1930s, to preserve Oregon coastal lands.From the Wikipedia article “Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 56° NE | 9:03 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 123° ESE | 4:42 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 54m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 16m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 4:58 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 27m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 09m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 40m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:32 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:13 PM | 8h 55m |
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 Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), 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 | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:09 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:05 AM – 4:45 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:10 AM – 3:40 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:26 PM – 3:06 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:12 PM – 1:42 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 11:44 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:37 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.15 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 64% 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 | 61 | 65 | 67 | 75 | 75 | 79 | 79 | 82 | 85 | 78 | 65 | 62 |
| Low °F | 31 | 30 | 35 | 37 | 41 | 47 | 49 | 50 | 46 | 38 | 33 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.5 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 3.7 | 7.7 | 9.9 |
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.
- 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 Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park, closest first.
Lake
Lake
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Waterfall
Lake
Waterfall
Ghost Town
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- South Jetty Sand Camping3.5 km (2.2 mi) · reservable
- Tyee Campground - Oregon Dunes5.0 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Driftwood5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Lagoon Campground6.2 km (3.8 mi) · reservable
- Siltcoos Sand Camping6.3 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park?
What time is golden hour at Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park?
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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.