Tryon Creek State Natural Area — a state park in Multnomah County, Oregon — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.0 km (1.2 mi) NNW of Lake Oswego.
The Tryon Creek State Natural Area is a state park located primarily in Portland, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the only Oregon state park within a major metropolitan area. The 645-acre (261 ha) park lies between Boones Ferry Road and Terwilliger Boulevard in southwest Portland in Multnomah County and northern Lake Oswego in Clackamas County and is bisected from north to south by Tryon Creek. To the north, the park abuts the Lewis & Clark Law School campus.From the Wikipedia article “Tryon Creek State Natural Area”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tryon Creek State Natural Area 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 | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 55° NE | 9:04 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 124° ESE | 4:31 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 42m |
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 | 8:35 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 07m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:38 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 | 8:28 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:07 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 54m |
| June | 4:45 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:08 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 39m |
| July | 5:01 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 20m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 07m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:57 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:34 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:03 PM | 8h 44m |
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 Tryon Creek State Natural Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 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 8 (city 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 | 3:16 AM – 4:26 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:16 AM – 3:26 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:39 PM – 2:39 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:22 PM – 1:22 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 11:27 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:26 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.18 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
- 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.
- 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 Tryon Creek State Natural Area, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
BeachBeach
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Scenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tryon Creek State Natural Area?
What time is golden hour at Tryon Creek State Natural Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tryon Creek State Natural Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tryon Creek State Natural Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tryon Creek State Natural Area?
How far is Tryon Creek State Natural Area from Lake Oswego?
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.