Starvation Creek State Park on the Columbia River Gorge in the US state of Oregon.
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45.6882° N121.6890° WBortle 3Los Angeles

Starvation Creek State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Hood River County, Oregon

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 236°–306°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Apr–Aug
Photo: --b-- · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Located in Hood River County, Oregon, Starvation Creek State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 10.9 km (6.8 mi) ESE of Carson.

Starvation Creek State Park is a state park located west of Hood River, Oregon in the Columbia River Gorge. It was named Starvation Creek because a train was stopped there by snow drifts and passengers had to dig out the train. No documented starvation took place. Starvation Creek has a small waterfall and a trailhead for hiking.From the Wikipedia article “Starvation Creek State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Carson
10.9 km (6.8 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
July
25% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
2.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:42 PM
sunset 6:22 PM

Light at Starvation Creek State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:31 AM
Sunset
6:14 PM
Golden hour AM
7:12 AM – 8:12 AM
Golden hour PM
5:33 PM – 6:32 PM
Blue hour AM
7:00 AM – 7:12 AM
Blue hour PM
6:32 PM – 6:44 PM
Full darkness
7:53 PM – 5:53 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:49 PM / 1:15 AM
Day length
10h 43m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
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 Starvation Creek State Park 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:11 AM89° E7:19 PM271° W44°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:18 AM54° NE9:01 PM306° NW68°15h 43m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:55 AM89° E7:06 PM271° W45°12h 12m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:45 AM124° SE4:26 PM236° WSW21°8h 41m

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
January7:11 AM7:44 AM8:32 AM4:02 PM4:49 PM5:23 PM9h 05m
February6:39 AM7:10 AM7:52 AM4:52 PM5:34 PM6:04 PM10h 24m
March6:51 AM7:20 AM8:00 AM6:33 PM7:13 PM7:42 PM11h 53m
April5:50 AM6:22 AM7:01 AM7:13 PM7:53 PM8:24 PM13h 32m
May5:02 AM5:36 AM6:20 AM7:48 PM8:32 PM9:06 PM14h 55m
June4:39 AM5:17 AM6:03 AM8:13 PM8:59 PM9:37 PM15h 41m
July4:56 AM5:33 AM6:17 AM8:09 PM8:54 PM9:31 PM15h 22m
August5:35 AM6:08 AM6:49 AM7:35 PM8:16 PM8:49 PM14h 09m
September6:16 AM6:46 AM7:25 AM6:41 PM7:20 PM7:50 PM12h 34m
October6:54 AM7:24 AM8:04 AM5:42 PM6:22 PM6:52 PM10h 59m
November6:35 AM7:07 AM7:53 AM3:52 PM4:37 PM5:10 PM9h 30m
December7:07 AM7:42 AM8:31 AM3:34 PM4:24 PM4:58 PM8h 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 Starvation Creek State Park, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—7°—
March5:13 AM – 5:33 AM0.312°SSE → SSE
April3:13 AM – 4:23 AM1.214°SSE → SSE
May1:14 AM – 3:14 AM2.015°SSE → S
June11:39 PM – 2:29 AM2.815°SSE → SSW
July11:20 PM – 1:20 AM2.015°S → SSW
August10:14 PM – 11:14 PM1.014°SSW → SSW
September9:02 PM – 9:12 PM0.211°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.41 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 25% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F616074809093999696836457
Low °F-27102429374242321810
Precip. (in)5.33.94.33.02.31.60.40.61.33.25.36.3

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 Starvation Creek State Park, closest first.

Starvation Creek FallsWaterfall
Starvation Creek Falls0.1 km away · Hood River County
Waterfall
Warren Creek Falls1.0 km away · Hood River County · 60 m
Hole-in-the-Wall FallsWaterfall
Hole-in-the-Wall Falls1.0 km away · Hood River County
Waterfall
Lancaster Falls1.4 km away · Hood River County · 120 m
Viento State ParkState Park
Viento State Park1.8 km away · Hood River County
Dog Creek FallsWaterfall
Dog Creek Falls2.9 km away · Skamania County
Waterfall
Camp Benson Falls3.0 km away · Hood River County
Dog MountainMountain Peak
Dog Mountain3.3 km away · Skamania County · 858 m
Seneca Fouts Memorial State Natural AreaState Park
Seneca Fouts Memorial State Natural Area5.7 km away · Hood River County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Starvation Creek State Park?
July 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 Starvation Creek State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:42 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:22 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:04 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Starvation Creek State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 54° in June to 124° in December; sunset ranges from 306° to 236°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Starvation Creek State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from April to August on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Starvation Creek State Park?
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 Starvation Creek State Park from Carson?
About 10.9 km (6.8 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.