La Pine State Park is a state park in Deschutes County, Oregon. The nearest town is Three Rivers, about 6.8 km (4.2 mi) away (La Pine State Park lies SW of town).
La Pine State Park is a state park along the Deschutes River in the U.S. state of Oregon, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The closest town is La Pine, 5 miles north-east of the park.From the Wikipedia article “La Pine State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At La Pine 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) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 56° NE | 8:52 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 123° ESE | 4:32 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 55m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 44m |
| June | 4:48 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:08 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:27 PM | 15h 26m |
| July | 5:04 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 08m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 40m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:21 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:03 PM | 8h 56m |
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 La Pine 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 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 | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:58 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:54 AM – 4:34 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:58 AM – 3:28 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:13 PM – 2:53 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:00 PM – 1:40 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:03 PM – 11:33 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 9:36 PM | 0.7 | 14° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.55 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 July as the clearest month (about 23% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 59 | 61 | 72 | 79 | 89 | 95 | 102 | 97 | 95 | 87 | 71 | 55 |
| Low °F | -16 | -5 | 8 | 18 | 22 | 26 | 33 | 34 | 28 | 16 | 0 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 3.6 |
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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- 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 La Pine State Park, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Rock FormationRock Formation
Waterfall
Fire Lookout
WaterfallWaterfall
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Big River5.3 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Pringle Falls Campground6.7 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- Fall River Campground7.3 km (4.6 mi) · reservable
- Wyeth Campground - Deschutes7.8 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- Fall River Guard Station8.4 km (5.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph La Pine State Park?
What time is golden hour at La Pine State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at La Pine State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from La Pine State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at La Pine State Park?
How far is La Pine State Park from Three Rivers?
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.