Located in Jackson County, Oregon, Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint is a state park. The nearest town is Shady Cove, about 30 km (18 mi) away (Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint lies ENE of town).
Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint, is a state park south of the community of Prospect on Oregon Route 62 in Jackson County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was formerly known as Mill Creek Falls Scenic Area, a private hiking area that was developed by Willamette Industries along the Rogue River. Both Mill Creek Falls and Pearsony Falls are contained within the area, with Barr Creek Falls close by. A hydroelectric dam was built in the 1920s which drained the narrow valley containing the group of falls. A group of large boulders appeared. These have become a local attraction known as the Avenue of the Giant Boulders.From the Wikipedia article “Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 56° ENE | 8:52 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 122° ESE | 4:40 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 02m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 23m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:15 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:26 PM | 15h 19m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 01m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:20 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 03m |
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 Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:51 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:54 AM – 4:44 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:56 AM – 3:46 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:07 PM – 3:07 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:55 PM – 1:45 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:02 PM – 11:52 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 9:48 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 19% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 69 | 80 | 92 | 101 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 90 | 76 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 28 | 37 | 35 | 29 | 23 | 4 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 6.5 |
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 Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint, closest first.
Waterfall
Waterfall
Ghost Town
Natural Arch
WaterfallNatural Arch
Scenic Viewpoint
State ParkWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Stewart State Park Campground11.4 km (7.1 mi)
- Lodgepole Guard Station13.3 km (8.3 mi) · reservable
- Imnaha Guard Station13.9 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Jim Creek Group Campground14.2 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
- Union Creek Campground - Rogue River19.2 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint?
What time is golden hour at Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint?
Where does the sun rise and set at Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint?
Can you see the Milky Way from Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint?
How far is Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint from Shady Cove?
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.