Silver Falls State Park is a state park in Marion County, Oregon. It sits roughly 9.1 km (5.7 mi) N of Lyons.
Silver Falls State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, located near Silverton, about 20 miles (32 km) east-southeast of Salem. It is the largest state park in Oregon, with an area of more than 9,000 acres (36 km2), and it includes more than 24 miles (39 km) of walking trails, 14 miles (23 km) of horse trails, and a 4-mile (6.4 km) bike path. Its 7.2-mile (11.6 km) Canyon Trail/Trail of Ten Falls runs along the banks of Silver Creek and by ten waterfalls, from which the park received its name. Four of the ten falls have an amphitheater-like surrounding that allows the trail to pass behind the flow of the falls. The Silver Falls State Park Concession Building Area and the Silver Creek Youth Camp-Silver Falls State Park are separately listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The park's most visited waterfall is South Falls, a 177-foot (54 m) cascade....From the Wikipedia article “Silver Falls State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Silver Falls State Park 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 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 55° NE | 9:01 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 123° ESE | 4:33 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 47m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 10m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 50m |
| June | 4:47 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 35m |
| July | 5:03 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 16m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 35m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:04 PM | 8h 49m |
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 Silver Falls State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:14 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:12 AM – 4:32 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:10 AM – 3:30 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:29 PM – 2:49 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:13 PM – 1:33 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:12 PM – 11:32 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 9:33 PM | 0.5 | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.11 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 28% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 68 | 68 | 73 | 86 | 97 | 98 | 106 | 103 | 98 | 87 | 78 | 61 |
| Low °F | 9 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 40 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.1 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 4.9 | 8.4 | 9.9 |
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
- 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 Silver Falls State Park, closest first.
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WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Fishermens Bend13.5 km (8.4 mi) · reservable
- Elkhorn Valley Recreation Site13.7 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
- Aquila Vista Recreation Site16.9 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
- Cedar Grove Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Three Bears Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Silver Falls State Park?
What time is golden hour at Silver Falls State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Silver Falls State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Silver Falls State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Silver Falls State Park?
How far is Silver Falls State Park from Lyons?
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.