Minam State Recreation Area is a state park in Wallowa County, Oregon. The nearest town is Elgin, about 29 km (18 mi) away (Minam State Recreation Area lies NNE of town).
Minam State Recreation Area is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon. Administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, it covers about 600 acres (240 ha) along the Wallowa River north of La Grande in Wallowa County. The park is off Oregon Route 82 about 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Elgin. The park, generally open all year, has 22 primitive campsites, restrooms, a boat ramp, and a walking trail. Visitors may picnic, go boating on the river, or fish for steelhead. Wildlife in the area includes deer, bear, elk, and an occasional cougar or bighorn sheep.From the Wikipedia article “Minam State Recreation Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Minam State Recreation Area the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (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) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:02 AM | 54° NE | 8:45 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 124° SE | 4:10 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 40m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:16 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:34 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 4:45 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 4:23 AM | 5:01 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 4:40 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 22m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:00 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:37 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:16 AM | 3:18 PM | 4:08 PM | 4:42 PM | 8h 42m |
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 Minam State Recreation Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 4:57 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:57 AM – 4:07 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 12:58 AM – 2:58 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:23 PM – 2:13 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:04 PM – 1:04 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:58 PM – 10:58 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 8:56 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.86 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 29% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 48 | 53 | 67 | 78 | 88 | 97 | 102 | 100 | 97 | 87 | 64 | 52 |
| Low °F | -14 | -9 | 5 | 16 | 23 | 29 | 36 | 36 | 26 | 11 | -3 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.5 |
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
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Minam State Recreation Area, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
State Park
Fire Lookout
Wilderness Area
Scenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
Wilderness AreaScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Fry Meadows Guard Station8.8 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- Jubilee Lake Campground (Or)20.0 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
- Woodland Campground23 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Target Meadows Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Woodward Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Minam State Recreation Area?
What time is golden hour at Minam State Recreation Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Minam State Recreation Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Minam State Recreation Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Minam State Recreation Area?
How far is Minam State Recreation Area from Elgin?
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.