Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site — a state park in Multnomah County, Oregon — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Troutdale, about 800 m away (Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site lies ENE of town).
Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site is a state park in eastern Multnomah County, Oregon, near Troutdale and Corbett, and is administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. It is located on the Sandy River, near its confluence with the Columbia River. Broughton's Bluff marks the westernmost extent of the Columbia River Gorge at the site. The site is open for day use only. It offers a developed picnic area and pet exercise area, as well as picnicking and swimming along the Sandy River. A ramp provides boat access to the river, and trails allow rock climbing on Broughton's Bluff. The Lewis and Clark Expedition explored the area along both rivers. The site includes interpretive markers about the expedition and other historic themes. Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site lies within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.From the Wikipedia article “Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:21 AM | 55° NE | 9:03 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 124° SE | 4:29 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 42m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 06m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:05 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 54m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:07 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 40m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 21m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:55 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:02 PM | 8h 43m |
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 Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:15 AM – 4:25 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:15 AM – 3:25 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:38 PM – 2:38 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:21 PM – 1:21 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:16 PM – 11:26 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 9:25 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.63 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 | 62 | 66 | 74 | 84 | 93 | 100 | 105 | 104 | 101 | 87 | 67 | 61 |
| Low °F | 8 | 15 | 22 | 27 | 33 | 39 | 45 | 44 | 36 | 24 | 15 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 8.6 | 9.7 |
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 Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site, closest first.
State Park
Beach
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State Park
State Park
Waterfall
Ghost Town
Rock FormationFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site?
What time is golden hour at Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site?
How far is Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site from Troutdale?
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.