Located in Douglas County, Oregon, Umpqua State Scenic Corridor is a state park. The nearest town is Reedsport, about 16.4 km (10.2 mi) away (Umpqua State Scenic Corridor lies ESE of town).
Umpqua State Scenic Corridor is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.From the Wikipedia article “Umpqua State Scenic Corridor”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Umpqua State Scenic Corridor the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 56° NE | 9:01 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 123° ESE | 4:42 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 56m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 18m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 43m |
| June | 4:58 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 25m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 07m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 41m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:13 PM | 8h 57m |
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 Umpqua State Scenic Corridor, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:08 AM – 5:48 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:04 AM – 4:44 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:08 AM – 3:38 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:23 PM – 3:03 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:10 PM – 1:50 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:13 PM – 11:43 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:46 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.76 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 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (79%). 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 | 65 | 70 | 75 | 85 | 92 | 98 | 101 | 104 | 98 | 90 | 74 | 61 |
| Low °F | 18 | 20 | 25 | 26 | 32 | 40 | 43 | 46 | 39 | 26 | 22 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.3 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 3.8 | 7.4 | 9.3 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Umpqua State Scenic Corridor, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Lake
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
State ParkWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Loon Lake Recreation Site8.0 km (5.0 mi) · reservable
- East Shore Campground Or8.9 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- Eel Creek Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Umpqua Sand Camping25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Tahkenitch Campground25 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Umpqua State Scenic Corridor?
What time is golden hour at Umpqua State Scenic Corridor?
Where does the sun rise and set at Umpqua State Scenic Corridor?
Can you see the Milky Way from Umpqua State Scenic Corridor?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Umpqua State Scenic Corridor?
How far is Umpqua State Scenic Corridor from Reedsport?
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.