The beach at Seven Devils State Park.
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43.2351° N124.3900° WBortle 2Los Angeles

Seven Devils State Recreation Site Photography Guide

State Park in Coos County, Oregon

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–304°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives · CC BY 4.0 · source

Located in Coos County, Oregon, Seven Devils State Recreation Site is a state park. It sits roughly 13.0 km (8.1 mi) N of Bandon.

Seven Devils State Recreation Site is a state park and beach in the U.S. state of Oregon, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.From the Wikipedia article “Seven Devils State Recreation Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Bandon
13.0 km (8.1 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
September
64% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:57 PM
sunset 6:36 PM

Light at Seven Devils State Recreation Site

Live
Sunrise
7:38 AM
Sunset
6:28 PM
Golden hour AM
7:20 AM – 8:17 AM
Golden hour PM
5:49 PM – 6:46 PM
Blue hour AM
7:09 AM – 7:20 AM
Blue hour PM
6:46 PM – 6:57 PM
Full darkness
8:03 PM – 6:04 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:54 PM / 1:33 AM
Day length
10h 50m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Seven Devils State Recreation Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) 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 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:22 AM90° E7:30 PM271° W47°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:38 AM56° NE9:02 PM304° NW70°15h 23m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:06 AM89° E7:17 PM271° W47°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:47 AM122° ESE4:46 PM238° WSW23°8h 58m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:16 AM7:47 AM8:32 AM4:23 PM5:08 PM5:39 PM9h 20m
February6:47 AM7:16 AM7:56 AM5:09 PM5:49 PM6:18 PM10h 32m
March7:02 AM7:30 AM8:08 AM6:46 PM7:24 PM7:53 PM11h 54m
April6:06 AM6:36 AM7:14 AM7:22 PM8:00 PM8:30 PM13h 24m
May5:22 AM5:54 AM6:36 AM7:54 PM8:35 PM9:08 PM14h 41m
June5:02 AM5:38 AM6:21 AM8:17 PM9:00 PM9:36 PM15h 22m
July5:18 AM5:52 AM6:34 AM8:14 PM8:56 PM9:31 PM15h 05m
August5:53 AM6:24 AM7:03 AM7:43 PM8:22 PM8:53 PM13h 58m
September6:29 AM6:58 AM7:36 AM6:52 PM7:29 PM7:58 PM12h 31m
October7:03 AM7:32 AM8:11 AM5:57 PM6:36 PM7:05 PM11h 04m
November6:41 AM7:12 AM7:54 AM4:12 PM4:55 PM5:25 PM9h 43m
December7:11 AM7:44 AM8:30 AM3:57 PM4:44 PM5:16 PM9h 00m

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 Seven Devils State Recreation Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
March5:00 AM – 5:50 AM0.814°SSE → SSE
April3:04 AM – 4:44 AM1.717°SSE → S
May1:07 AM – 3:47 AM2.718°SSE → S
June11:20 PM – 3:10 AM3.818°SSE → SSW
July11:07 PM – 1:57 AM2.818°S → SSW
August10:12 PM – 11:52 PM1.717°S → SSW
September9:07 PM – 9:47 PM0.714°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—9°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.71 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 September as the clearest month (about 64% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (83%). August is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F616567757579798285786562
Low °F313035374147495046383328
Precip. (in)7.56.16.34.22.31.30.40.51.73.77.79.9

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 Seven Devils State Recreation Site, closest first.

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Seven Devils State Recreation Site?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Seven Devils State Recreation Site?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:57 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:36 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:11 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Seven Devils State Recreation Site?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 122° in December; sunset ranges from 304° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Seven Devils State Recreation Site?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Seven Devils State Recreation Site?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Seven Devils State Recreation Site from Bandon?
About 13.0 km (8.1 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.