Located in Clackamas County, Oregon, Molalla River State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 3.7 km (2.3 mi) NNW of Canby.
The Molalla River State Park is located in U.S. state of Oregon. It is a few miles north of Canby, and half a mile from the Canby Ferry. The park is south of the Willamette River and east of the Molalla River, at the confluence of the Pudding, Molalla and Willamette rivers. The Pudding River flows into the Molalla from the west, just before the Molalla joins the Willamette. The floodplains of these rivers provide important habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, deer, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. A blue heron rookery, one of the largest in the Willamette Valley, is located in Molalla River State Park.From the Wikipedia article “Molalla River State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Molalla River State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) 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) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:24 AM | 55° NE | 9:03 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 124° ESE | 4:31 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 44m |
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 | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 08m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:07 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 53m |
| June | 4:45 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:09 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 38m |
| July | 5:02 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 19m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 07m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 32m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:04 PM | 8h 45m |
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 Molalla River State Park, 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 6 (bright 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 | 11:36 PM – 2:46 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:19 PM – 1:29 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.08 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
- 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.
- 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 Molalla River State Park, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Molalla River State Park?
What time is golden hour at Molalla River State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Molalla River State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Molalla River State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Molalla River State Park?
How far is Molalla River State Park from Canby?
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.