The Kam Wah Chung Museum in John Day. The site is based in a rustic building that was constructed as a trading post in 1876. Here Chinese herbal doctor Ing Hay
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44.4187° N118.9569° WBortle 1Los Angeles

Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum Photography Guide

State Park in Grant County, Oregon

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 237°–305°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives · Attribution · source

Located in Grant County, Oregon, Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum is a state park. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum, also known as Kam Wah Chung Company Building, is a state park and a National Historic Landmark that preserves early Chinese culture in John Day in the U.S. state of Oregon. Built in the 1865 by George Hazeltine as a supply depot or stagecoach stop along the Dalles-Canyon City wagon road., it is the best-preserved example of a Chinese herbal apothecary and mercantile establishment dating to the post-Civil War period of growth in the Western United States.From the Wikipedia article “Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
John Day
400 m
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
July
27% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:33 PM
sunset 6:13 PM

Light at Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum

Live
Sunrise
7:18 AM
Sunset
6:05 PM
Golden hour AM
7:00 AM – 7:58 AM
Golden hour PM
5:25 PM – 6:23 PM
Blue hour AM
6:48 AM – 7:00 AM
Blue hour PM
6:23 PM – 6:34 PM
Full darkness
7:42 PM – 5:42 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:35 PM / 1:07 AM
Day length
10h 47m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum 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 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:00 AM90° E7:08 PM271° W45°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:12 AM55° NE8:45 PM305° NW69°15h 32m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:44 AM89° E6:55 PM271° W46°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:30 AM123° ESE4:20 PM237° WSW22°8h 50m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:57 AM7:29 AM8:15 AM3:57 PM4:42 PM5:15 PM9h 13m
February6:27 AM6:57 AM7:38 AM4:44 PM5:25 PM5:55 PM10h 28m
March6:40 AM7:09 AM7:48 AM6:24 PM7:02 PM7:31 PM11h 53m
April5:42 AM6:13 AM6:52 AM7:01 PM7:40 PM8:11 PM13h 28m
May4:56 AM5:29 AM6:11 AM7:35 PM8:17 PM8:51 PM14h 47m
June4:35 AM5:12 AM5:56 AM7:58 PM8:43 PM9:19 PM15h 31m
July4:51 AM5:26 AM6:10 AM7:55 PM8:39 PM9:14 PM15h 13m
August5:28 AM6:00 AM6:40 AM7:23 PM8:03 PM8:34 PM14h 03m
September6:06 AM6:36 AM7:14 AM6:30 PM7:08 PM7:37 PM12h 33m
October6:42 AM7:11 AM7:51 AM5:33 PM6:13 PM6:42 PM11h 02m
November6:21 AM6:53 AM7:37 AM3:46 PM4:30 PM5:01 PM9h 37m
December6:53 AM7:26 AM8:14 AM3:30 PM4:18 PM4:51 PM8h 52m

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 Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 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 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
March4:50 AM – 5:30 AM0.713°SSE → SSE
April2:47 AM – 4:17 AM1.516°SSE → S
May12:54 AM – 3:14 AM2.317°SSE → S
June11:12 PM – 2:42 AM3.517°SSE → SSW
July10:57 PM – 1:17 AM2.317°S → SSW
August9:56 PM – 11:16 PM1.316°SSW → SSW
September8:48 PM – 9:18 PM0.513°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—7°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
DecemberBelow 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 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 27% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F5455718090981049998886655
Low °F-12-29142328363426100-12
Precip. (in)2.21.71.91.82.01.40.40.50.61.31.92.6

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 Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum, closest first.

Clyde Holliday State Recreation SiteState Park
Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site10 km away · Grant County
Hot Spring
Mount Vernon Hot Springs12 km away · Grant County
Hot Spring
Hot Springs15 km away · Grant County
Hot Spring
Hot Spring18 km away · Grant County
Strawberry Mountain WildernessWilderness Area
Strawberry Mountain Wilderness18 km away · Grant County
Malheur National ForestNational Forest
Malheur National Forest20 km away · Grant County
Strawberry MountainMountain Peak
Strawberry Mountain22 km away · Grant County · 2,750 m
Waterfall
Strawberry Falls25 km away · Grant County · 2,022 m
Strawberry LakeLake
Strawberry Lake25 km away · Grant County · 2,106 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:33 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:13 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:51 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 55° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 237°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum from John Day?
About 400 m in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.