Maud Williamson State Recreation Site — a state park in Yamhill County, Oregon — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 11.2 km (7.0 mi) E of Amity.
Maud Williamson State Recreation Site is a state park in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The park is located at the intersection of Oregon Route 221 and Oregon Route 153 near Wheatland. The park entrance is across from Wheatland Road, which leads to the Wheatland Ferry. The site includes of a stand of second-growth Douglas-fir and a historic farmhouse. In the early spring trilliums are abundant. The 24-acre (9.7 ha) park formerly offered overnight camping, but now is day-use only. Amenities include picnic tables, restrooms, a covered picnic shelter, volleyball courts and horseshoe pits. Admission is free, but there is a fee to reserve the picnic shelter.From the Wikipedia article “Maud Williamson State Recreation Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Maud Williamson State Recreation Site 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 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 55° NE | 9:04 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 123° ESE | 4:34 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 45m |
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 | 7:48 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 52m |
| June | 4:48 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 5:04 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 33m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:34 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:06 PM | 8h 47m |
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 Maud Williamson State Recreation Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 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 5 (suburban sky), 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 | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:15 AM – 4:35 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:14 AM – 3:24 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:34 PM – 2:44 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:17 PM – 1:27 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 11:25 PM | 1.2 | 15° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.2 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 | 57 | 59 | 66 | 77 | 83 | 80 | 86 | 92 | 87 | 79 | 64 | 57 |
| Low °F | 19 | 20 | 27 | 31 | 34 | 42 | 47 | 48 | 39 | 31 | 24 | 16 |
| Precip. (in) | 10.3 | 7.2 | 7.9 | 5.1 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 6.1 | 10.5 | 11.4 |
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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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 Maud Williamson State Recreation Site, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Botanical Garden
State Park
Botanical Garden
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Scenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Maud Williamson State Recreation Site?
What time is golden hour at Maud Williamson State Recreation Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at Maud Williamson State Recreation Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from Maud Williamson State Recreation Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Maud Williamson State Recreation Site?
How far is Maud Williamson State Recreation Site from Amity?
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.